{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch040.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch040.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch040.htm","text":"40.1 I HEARD a cow low, a bonnie cow low,\nAn a cow low down in yon glen;\nLang, lang will my young son greet\nOr his mither bid him come ben.\n40.2 I heard a cow low, a bonnie cow low,\nAn a cow low down in yon fauld;\nLang, lang will my young son greet\nOr his mither take him frae cauld.\n* * * * *\n40.3 . . . . .\n. . . .\nWaken, Queen of Elfan,\nAn hear your nourice moan.\u2019\n40.4 \u2018O moan ye for your meat,\nOr moan ye for your fee,\nOr moan ye for the ither bounties\nThat ladies are wont to gie?\u2019\n40.5 \u2018I moan na for my meat,\nNor moan I for my fee,\nNor moan I for the ither bounties\nThat ladies are wont to gie.\n40.6 . . . . .\n. . . . .\nBut I moan for my young son\nI left in four nights auld.\n40.7 \u2018I moan na for my meat,\nNor yet for my fee,\nBut I mourn for Christen land,\nIt\u2019s there I fain would be.\u2019\n40.8 \u2018O nurse my bairn, nourice,\u2019 she says,\n\u2018Till he stan at your knee,\nAn ye\u2019s win hame to Christen land,\nWhar fain it\u2019s ye wad be.\n40.9 \u2018O keep my bairn, nourice,\nTill he gang by the hauld,\nAn ye\u2019s win hame to your young son\nYe left in four nights auld.\u2019\n* * * * *\n40.10 \u2018O nourice lay your head\nUpo my knee:\nSee ye na that narrow road\nUp by yon tree?\n40.11 . . . . . .\n. . . . .\nThat\u2019s the road the righteous goes,\nAnd that\u2019s the road to heaven.\n40.12 \u2018An see na ye that braid road,\nDown by yon sunny fell?\nYon\u2019s the road the wicked gae,\nAn that\u2019s the road to hell.\u2019\n* * * * *","title":"The Child Ballads: 40. The Queen of Elfan's Nourice","type":"page"}