{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch041.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch041.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch041.htm","text":"41A.1 LADY MARGARET sits in her bower door,\nSewing at her silken seam;\nShe heard a note in Elmond\u2019s wood,\nAnd wishd she there had been.\n41A.2 She loot the seam fa frae her side,\nAnd the needle to her tae,\nAnd she is on to Elmond\u2019s wood\nAs fast as she coud gae.\n41A.3 She hadna pu\u2019d a nut, a nut,\nNor broken a branch but ane,\nTill by it came a young hind chiel,\nSays, Lady, lat alane.\n41A.4 O why pu ye the nut, the nut,\nOr why brake ye the tree?\nFor I am forester o this wood:\nYe shoud spier leave at me.\n41A.5 \u2018I\u2019ll ask leave at no living man,\nNor yet will I at thee;\nMy father is king oer a\u2019 this realm,\nThis wood belongs to me.\u2019\n41A.6 She hadna pu\u2019d a nut, a nut,\nNor broken a branch but three,\nTill by it came him Young Akin,\nAnd gard her lat them be.\n41A.7 The highest tree in Elmond\u2019s wood,\nHe\u2019s pu\u2019d it by the reet,\nAnd he has built for her a bower,\nNear by a hallow seat.\n41A.8 He\u2019s built a bower, made it secure\nWe carbuncle and stane;\nTho travellers were never sae nigh,\nAppearance it had nane.\n41A.9 He\u2019s kept her there in Elmond\u2019s wood,\nFor six lang years and one,\nTill six pretty sons to him she bear,\nAnd the seventh she\u2019s brought home.\n41A.10 It fell ance upon a day,\nThis guid lord went from home,\nAnd he is to the hunting gane,\nTook wi him his eldest son.\n41A.11 And when they were on a guid way,\nWi slowly pace did walk,\nThe boy\u2019s heart being something wae,\nHe thus began to talk:\n41A.12 \u2018A question I woud ask, father,\nGin ye woudna angry be:\u2019\n\u2018Say on, say on, my bonny boy,\nYe\u2019se nae be quarrelld by me.\u2019\n41A.13 \u2018I see my mither\u2019s cheeks aye weet,\nI never can see them dry;\nAnd I wonder what aileth my mither,\nTo mourn continually.\u2019\n41A.14 \u2018Your mither was a king\u2019s daughter,\nSprung frae a high degree,\nAnd she might hae wed some worthy prince,\nHad she nae been stown by me.\n41A.15 \u2018I was her father\u2019s cup-bearer,\nJust at that fatal time;\nI catchd her on a misty night,\nWhan summer was in prime.\n41A.16 \u2018My luve to her was most sincere,\nHer luve was great for me,\nBut when she hardships doth endure,\nHer folly she does see.\u2019\n41A.17 \u2018I\u2019ll shoot the buntin o the bush,\nThe linnet o the tree,\nAnd bring them to my dear mither,\nSee if she\u2019ll merrier be.\u2019\n41A.18 It fell upo another day,\nThis guid lord he thought lang,\nAnd he is to the hunting gane,\nTook wi him his dog and gun.\n41A.19 Wi bow and arrow by his side,\nHe\u2019s aff, single, alane,\nAnd left his seven children to stay\nWi their mither at hame.\n41A.20 \u2018O I will tell to you, mither,\nGin ye wadna angry be:\u2019\n\u2018Speak on, speak on, my little wee boy,\nYe\u2019se nae be quarrelld by me.\u2019\n41A.21 \u2018As we came frae the hynd-hunting,\nWe heard fine music ring:\u2019\n\u2018My blessings on you, my bonny boy,\nI wish I\u2019d been there my lane.\u2019\n41A.22 He\u2019s taen his mither by the hand,\nHis six brithers also,\nAnd they are on thro Elmond\u2019s wood,\nAs fast as they coud go.\n41A.23 They wistna weel where they were gaen,\nWi the stratlins o their feet;\nThey wistna weel where they were gaen,\nTill at her father\u2019s yate.\n41A.24 \u2018I hae nae money in my pocket,\nBut royal rings hae three;\nI\u2019ll gie them you, my little young son,\nAnd ye\u2019ll walk there for me.\n41A.25 \u2018Ye\u2019ll gie the first to the proud porter,\nAnd he will lat you in;\nYe\u2019ll gie the next to the butler-boy,\nAnd he will show you ben;\n41A.26 \u2018Ye\u2019ll gie the third to the minstrel\nThat plays before the king;\nHe\u2019ll play success to the bonny boy\nCame thro the wood him lane.\u2019\n41A.27 He gae the first to the proud porter,\nAnd he opend an let him in;\nHe gae the next to the butler-boy,\nAnd he has shown him ben;\n41A.28 He gae the third to the minstrel\nThat playd before the king;\nAnd he playd success to the bonny boy\nCame thro the wood him lane.\n41A.29 Now when he came before the king,\nFell low down on his knee;\nThe king he turned round about,\nAnd the saut tear blinded his ee.\n41A.30 \u2018Win up, win up, my bonny boy,\nGang frae my companie;\nYe look sae like my dear daughter,\nMy heart will birst in three.\u2019\n41A.31 \u2018If I look like your dear daughter,\nA wonder it is none;\nIf I look like your dear daughter,\nI am her eldest son.\u2019\n41A.32 \u2018Will ye tell me, ye little wee boy,\nWhere may my Margaret be?\u2019\n\u2018She\u2019s just now standing at your yates,\nAnd my six brithers her wi.\u2019\n41A.33 \u2018O where are all my porter-boys\nThat I pay meat and fee,\nTo open my yates baith wide and braid?\nLet her come in to me.\u2019\n41A.34 When she came in before the king,\nFell low down on her knee;\n\u2018Win up, win up, my daughter dear,\nThis day ye\u2019ll dine wi me.\u2019\n41A.35 \u2018Ae bit I canno eat, father,\nNor ae drop can I drink,\nTill I see my mither and sister dear,\nFor lang for them I think.\u2019\n41A.36 When she came before the queen,\nFell low down on her knee;\n\u2018Win up, win up, my daughter dear\nThis day ye\u2019se dine wi me.\u2019\n41A.37 \u2018Ae bit I canno eat, mither,\nNor ae drop can I drink,\nUntil I see my dear sister,\nFor lang for her I think.\u2019\n41A.38 When that these two sisters met,\nShe haild her courteouslie;\n\u2018Come ben, come ben, my sister dear,\nThis day ye\u2019se dine wi me.\u2019\n41A.39 \u2018Ae bit I canno eat, sister,\nNor ae drop can I drink,\nUntil I see my dear husband,\nFor lang for him I think.\u2019\n41A.40 \u2018O where are all my rangers bold\nThat I pay meat and fee,\nTo search the forest far an wide,\nAnd bring Akin to me?\u2019\n41A.41 Out it speaks the little wee boy:\nNa, na, this maunna be;\nWithout ye grant a free pardon,\nI hope ye\u2019ll nae him see.\n41A.42 \u2018O here I grant a free pardon,\nWell seald by my own han;\nYe may make search for Young Akin,\nAs soon as ever you can.\u2019\n41A.43 They searchd the country wide and braid,\nThe forests far and near,\nAnd found him into Elmond\u2019s wood,\nTearing his yellow hair.\n41A.44 \u2018Win up, win up now, Young Akin,\nWin up, and boun wi me;\nWe\u2019re messengers come from the court,\nThe king wants you to see.\u2019\n41A.45 \u2018O lat him take frae me my head,\nOr hang me on a tree;\nFor since I\u2019ve lost my dear lady,\nLife\u2019s no pleasure to me.\u2019\n41A.46 \u2018Your head will nae be touchd, Akin,\nNor hangd upon a tree;\nYour lady\u2019s in her father\u2019s court,\nAnd all he wants is thee.\u2019\n41A.47 When he came in before the king,\nFell low down on his knee;\n\u2018Win up, win up now, Young Akin,\nThis day ye\u2019se dine wi me.\u2019\n41A.48 But as they were at dinner set,\nThe boy asked a boun:\n\u2018I wish we were in the good church,\nFor to get christendoun.\n41A.49 \u2018We hae lived in guid green wood\nThis seven years and ane;\nBut a\u2019 this time, since eer I mind,\nWas never a church within.\u2019\n41A.50 \u2018Your asking\u2019s nae sae great, my boy,\nBut granted it shall be;\nThis day to guid church ye shall gang,\nAnd your mither shall gang you wi.\u2019\n41A.51 When unto the guid church she came,\nShe at the door did stan;\nShe was sae sair sunk down wi shame,\nShe coudna come farer ben.\n41A.52 Then out it speaks the parish priest,\nAnd a sweet smile gae he:\n\u2018Come ben, come ben, my lily flower,\nPresent your babes to me.\u2019\n41A.53 Charles, Vincent, Sam and Dick,\nAnd likewise James and John;\nThey calld the eldest Young Akin,\nWhich was his father\u2019s name.\n41A.54 Then they staid in the royal court,\nAnd livd wi mirth and glee,\nAnd when her father was deceasd,\nHeir of the crown was she.\n41B: Hind Etin\n41B.1 MAY MARGRET stood in her bouer door,\nKaiming doun her yellow hair;\nShe spied some nuts growin in the wud,\nAnd wishd that she was there.\n41B.2 She has plaited her yellow locks\nA little abune her bree,\nAnd she has kilted her petticoats\nA little below her knee,\nAnd she\u2019s aff to Mulberry wud,\nAs fast as she could gae.\n41B.3 She had na pu\u2019d a nut, a nut,\nA nut but barely ane,\nTill up started the Hynde Etin,\nSays, Lady, let thae alane!\n41B.4 \u2018Mulberry wuds are a\u2019 my ain;\nMy father gied them me,\nTo sport and play when I thought lang;\nAnd they sall na be tane by thee.\u2019\n41B.5 And ae she pu\u2019d the tither berrie,\nNa thinking o\u2019 the skaith,\nAnd said, To wrang ye, Hynde Etin,\nI wad be unco laith.\n41B.6 But he has tane her by the yellow locks,\nAnd tied her till a tree,\nAnd said, For slichting my commands,\nAn ill death sall ye dree.\n41B.7 He pu\u2019d a tree out o the wud,\nThe biggest that was there,\nAnd he howkit a cave monie fathoms deep,\nAnd put May Margret there.\n41B.8 \u2018Now rest ye there, ye saucie may;\nMy wuds are free for thee;\nAnd gif I tak ye to mysell,\nThe better ye\u2019ll like me.\u2019\n41B.9 Na rest, na rest May Margret took,\nSleep she got never nane;\nHer back lay on the cauld, cauld floor,\nHer head upon a stane.\n41B.10 \u2018O tak me out,\u2019 May Margret cried,\n\u2018O tak me hame to thee,\nAnd I sall be your bounden page\nUntil the day I dee.\u2019\n41B.11 He took her out o the dungeon deep,\nAnd awa wi him she\u2019s gane;\nBut sad was the day an earl\u2019s dochter\nGaed hame wi Hynde Etin.\n* * * * *\n41B.12 It fell out ance upon a day\nHynde Etin\u2019s to the hunting gane,\nAnd he has tane wi him his eldest son,\nFor to carry his game.\n41B.13 \u2018O I wad ask ye something, father,\nAn ye wadna angry be;\u2019\n\u2018Ask on, ask on, my eldest son,\nAsk onie thing at me.\u2019\n41B.14 \u2018My mother\u2019s cheeks are aft times weet,\nAlas! they are seldom dry;\u2019\n\u2018Na wonder, na wonder, my eldest son,\nTho she should brast and die.\n41B.15 \u2018For your mother was an earl\u2019s dochter,\nOf noble birth and fame,\nAnd now she\u2019s wife o Hynde Etin,\nWha neer got christendame.\n41B.16 \u2018But we\u2019ll shoot the laverock in the lift,\nThe buntlin on the tree,\nAnd ye\u2019ll tak them hame to your mother,\nAnd see if she\u2019ll comforted be.\u2019\n* * * * *\n41B.17 \u2018I wad ask ye something, mother,\nAn ye wadna angry be;\u2019\n\u2018Ask on, ask on, my eldest son,\nAsk onie thing at me.\u2019\n41B.18 \u2018Your cheeks they are aft times weet,\nAlas! they\u2019re seldom dry;\u2019\n\u2018Na wonder, na wonder, my eldest son,\nTho I whould brast and die.\n41B.19 \u2018For I was ance an earl\u2019s dochter,\nOf noble birth and fame,\nAnd now I am the wife of Hynde Etin,\nWha neer got christendame.\u2019\n* * * * *\n41C: Hind Etin\n41C.1 \u2018O WELL like I to ride in a mist,\nAnd shoot in a northern win,\nAnd far better a lady to steal,\nThat\u2019s come of a noble kin.\u2019\n41C.2 Four an twenty fair ladies\nPut on this lady\u2019s sheen,\nAnd as mony young gentlemen\nDid lead her ower the green.\n41C.3 Yet she preferred before them all\nHim, young Hastings the Groom;\nHe\u2019s coosten a mist before them all,\nAnd away this lady has taen.\n41C.4 He\u2019s taken the lady on him behind,\nSpared neither grass nor corn,\nTill they came to the wood o Amonshaw,\nWhere again their loves were sworn.\n41C.5 And they hae lived in that wood\nFull mony a year and day,\nAnd were supported from time to time\nBy what he made of prey.\n41C.6 And seven bairns, fair and fine,\nThere she has born to him,\nAnd never was in gude church-door,\nNor ever got gude kirking.\n41C.7 Ance she took harp into her hand,\nAnd harped them a\u2019 asleep,\nThen she sat down at their couch-side,\nAnd bitterly did weep.\n41C.8 Said, Seven bairns hae I born now\nTo my lord in the ha;\nI wish they were seven greedy rats,\nTo run upon the wa,\nAnd I mysel a great grey cat,\nTo eat them ane and a\u2019.\n41C.9 For ten lang years now I hae lived\nWithin this cave of stane,\nAnd never was at gude church-door,\nNor got no gude churching.\n41C.10 O then out spake her eldest child,\nAnd a fine boy was he:\nO hold your tongue, my mother dear;\nI\u2019ll tell you what to dee.\n41C.11 Take you the youngest in your lap,\nThe next youngest by the hand,\nPut all the rest of us you before,\nAs you learnt us to gang.\n41C.12 And go with us unto some kirk-+-\nYou say they are built of stane-+-\nAnd let us all be christened,\nAnd you get gude kirking.\n41C.13 She took the youngest in her lap,\nThe next youngest by the hand,\nSet all the rest of them her before,\nAs she learnt them to gang.\n41C.14 And she has left the wood with them,\nAnd to the kirk has gane,\nWhere the gude priest them christened,\nAnd gave her gude kirking.","title":"The Child Ballads: 41. Hind Etin","type":"page"}