Francis James Child

“ Every rose grows merry wi thyme
And I will ask thee questions three,
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine.
"Thou must buy me a cambrick smock
Without any stitch of needlework.
"Thou must wash it in yonder strand,
Where wood never grew and water neer ran.
"Thou must dry it on yonder thorn,
Where the sun never shined on since Adam was formed."
"Thou hast asked me questions three;
Sit down till I ask as many of thee.
"Thou must buy me an acre of land
Betwixt the salt water, love, and the sea-sand. ”

“ Ummatiddle, ummatiddle, ummatallyho, tallyho, follomingkathellomeday
Tell him to buy me an acre of land
Between the salt-water and the sea-sand.
Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn,
Tell him to sow it with one peppercorn.
Tell him to reap it with a penknife,
And tell him to cart it with two mice.
Tell him to cart it to yonder new barn
That never was built since Adam was born.
Tell him to thrash it with a goose quill,
Tell him to fan it with an egg-shell.
Tell the fool, when he's done his work,
To come to me, and he shall have his shirt. ”

“ Fair and clean and dry to me.
"And when that ye have done your wark,
Come back to me, and ye'll get your sark."
"I'll not quite my plaid for my life;
It haps my seven bairns and my wife."
"My maidenhead I'll then keep still,
Let the elphin knight do what he will.
C
THERE stands a knicht at the tap o yon hill,
Oure the hills and far awa
He has blawn his horn loud and shill. ”