Francis James Child

“ Made me with her to dwell,
And still once in the seven years
We pay a teind to hell.
‘And because I am an earthly man,
Myself doth greatly fear,
For the cleverest man in all our train
To Pluto must go this year. ”

“ There was four-and-twenty gude knights’-sons
In fairie land obliged to bide,
And of a’ the pages that were there
Fair Tamas was his ladie’s pride.
There was four-and-twenty earthly boys,
Wha all played at the ba,
But Tamas was the bonniest boy,
And playd the best amang them a’.
There was four-and-twenty earthly maids,
Wha a’ playd at the chess,
Their colour rosy-red and white,
Their gowns were green as grass.
‘And pleasant are our fairie sports,
We flie o’er hill and dale;
But at the end of seven years
They pay the teen to hell. ”

“ Pull ye the rider down.
‘They’ll turn me to an eagle,’ he says,
‘And then into an ass;
Come, hold me fast, and fear me not,
The man that you love best.
‘They’ll turn me to a flash of fire,
And then to a naked man ”