{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch067.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch067.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch067.htm","text":"67A.1 GLASGERION was a kings owne sonne,\nAnd a harper he was good;\nHe harped in the kings chamber,\nWhere cuppe and candle stoode,\nAnd soe did hee in the queens chamber,\nTill ladies waxed wood.\n67A.2 And then bespake the kings daughter,\nAnd these words thus sayd shee:\n. . . .\n. . . . .\n67A.3 Saide, Strike on, strike on, Glasgerrion,\nOf thy striking doe not blinne;\nThere\u2019s neuer a stroke comes ouer thin harpe\nBut it glads my hart within.\n67A.4 \u2018Faire might you fall, lady!\u2019 quoth hee;\n\u2018Who taught you now to speake?\nI haue loued you, lady, seuen yeere;\nMy hart I durst neere breake.\u2019\n67A.5 \u2018But come to my bower, my Glasgerryon,\nWhen all men are att rest;\nAs I am a ladie true of my promise,\nThou shalt bee a welcome guest.\u2019\n67A.6 But hom then came Glasgerryon,\nA glad man, Lord, was hee:\n\u2018And come thou hither, Iacke, my boy,\nCome hither vnto mee.\n67A.7 \u2018For the kings daughter of Normandye,\nHer loue is granted mee,\nAnd beffore the cocke haue crowen,\nAtt her chamber must I bee.\u2019\n67A.8 \u2018But come you hither master,\u2019 quoth hee,\n\u2018Lay your head downe on this stone;\nFor I will waken you, master deere,\nAfore it be time to gone.\u2019\n67A.9 But vpp then rose that lither ladd,\nAnd did on hose and shoone;\nA coller he cast vpon his necke,\nHee seemed a gentleman.\n67A.10 And when he came to that ladies chamber,\nHe thrild vpon a pinn;\nThe lady was true of her promise,\nRose vp and lett him in.\n67A.11 He did not take the lady gay\nTo boulster nor to bedd,\nBut down vpon her chamber-flore\nFull soone he hath her layd.\n67A.12 He did not kisse that lady gay\nWhen he came nor when he youd;\nAnd sore mistrusted that lady gay\nHe was of some churl s blood.\n67A.13 But home then came that lither ladd,\nAnd did of his hose and shoone,\nAnd cast that coller from about his necke;\nHe was but a churl s sonne:\n\u2018Awaken,\u2019 quoth hee, \u2019My master deere,\nI hold it time to be gone.\n67A.14 \u2018For I haue sadled your horsse, master,\nWell bridled I haue your steed;\nHaue not I serued a good breakfast,\nWhen time comes I haue need.\u2019\n67A.15 But vp then rose good Glasgerryon,\nAnd did on both hose and shoone,\nAnd cast a coller about his necke;\nHe was a kingees sonne.\n67A.16 And when he came to that ladies chamber,\nHe thrild vpon a pinn;\nThe lady was more then true of promise,\nRose vp and let him in.\n67A.17 Saies, Whether haue you left with me\nYour braclett or your gloue?\nOr are you returned backe againe\nTo know more of my loue?\u2019\n67A.18 Glasgerryon swore a full great othe,\nBy oake and ashe and thorne,\n\u2018Lady, I was neuer in your chamber\nSith the time that I was borne.\u2019\n67A.19 \u2018O then it was your litle foote-page\nFalsly hath beguiled me:\u2019\nAnd then shee pulld forth a litle pen-kniffe,\nThat hanged by her knee,\nSays, There shall neuer noe churl s blood\nSpring within my body.\n67A.20 But home then went Glasgerryon,\nA woe man, good [Lord], was hee;\nSayes, Come hither, thou Iacke, my boy,\nCome thou hither to me.\n67A.21 Ffor if I had killed a man to-night,\nIacke, I wold tell it thee;\nBut if I haue not killed a man to-night,\nIacke, thou hast killed three!\n67A.22 And he puld out his bright browne sword,\nAnd dryed it on his sleeue,\nAnd he smote off that lither ladds head,\nAnd asked noe man noe leaue.\n67A.23 He sett the swords poynt till his brest,\nThe pumill till a stone;\nThorrow that falsenese of that lither ladd\nThese three liues werne all gone.\n67B: Glasgerion\n67B.1 GLENKINDIE was ance a harper gude,\nHe harped to the king;\nAnd Glenkindie was ance the best harper\nThat ever harpd on a string.\n67B.2 He\u2019d harpit a fish out o saut water,\nOr water out o a stane,\nOr milk out o a maiden\u2019s breast,\nThat bairn had never nane.\n67B.3 He\u2019s taen his harp intil his hand,\nHe harpit and he sang,\nAnd ay as he harpit to the king,\nTo haud him unthought lang.\n67B.4 \u2018I\u2019ll gie you a robe, Glenkindie,\nA robe o the royal pa,\nGin ye will harp i the winter\u2019s night\nAfore my nobles a\u2019.\u2019\n* * * * *\n67B.5 He\u2019s taen his harp intill his hand,\nHe\u2019s harpit them a\u2019 asleep,\nExcept it was the young countess,\nThat love did waukin keep.\n67B.6 And first he has harpit a grave tune,\nAnd syne he has harpit a gay,\nAnd mony a sich atween hands\nI wat the lady gae.\n67B.7 Says, Whan day is dawen, and cocks hae crawen,\nAnd wappit their wings sae wide,\nIt\u2019s ye may come to my bower-door,\nAnd streek you by my side.\n67B.8 But look that ye tell na Gib, your man,\nFor naething that ye dee;\nFor, an ye tell him Gib, your man,\nHe\u2019ll beguile baith you and me.\n67B.9 He\u2019s taen his harp intill his hand,\nHe harpit and he sang,\nAnd he is hame to Gib, his man,\nAs fast as he could gang.\n67B.10 \u2018O mith I tell you, Gib, my man,\nGin I a man had slain?\u2019\n\u2018O that ye micht, my gude master,\nAltho ye had slain ten.\u2019\n67B.11 \u2018Then tak ye tent now, Gib, my man,\nMy bidden for to dee;\nAnd but an ye wauken me in time,\nYe sall be hangit hie.\n67B.12 \u2018Whan day has dawen, and cocks hae crawen,\nAnd wappit their wings sae wide,\nI\u2019m bidden gang till yon lady\u2019s bower,\nAnd streek me by her side.\u2019\n67B.13 \u2018Gae hame to your bed, my good master;\nYe\u2019ve waukit, I fear, oer lang;\nFor I\u2019ll wauken you in as good time\nAs ony cock i the land.\u2019\n67B.14 He\u2019s taen his harp intill his hand,\nHe harpit and he sang,\nUntil he harpit his master asleep,\nSyne fast awa did gang.\n67B.15 And he is till that lady\u2019s bower,\nAs fast as he could rin;\nWhen he cam till that lady\u2019s bower,\nHe chappit at the chin.\n67B.16 \u2018O wha is this,\u2019 says that lady,\n\u2018That opens nae and comes in?\u2019\n\u2018It\u2019s I, Glenkindie, your ain true-love,\nO open and lat me in!\u2019\n67B.17 She kent he was nae gentle knicht\nThat she had latten in,\nFor neither when he gaed nor cam,\nKist he her cheek or chin.\n67B.18 He neither kist her when he cam,\nNor clappit her when he gaed,\nAnd in and at her bower window,\nThe moon shone like the gleed.\n67B.19 \u2018O ragged is your hose, Glenkindie,\nAnd riven is your sheen,\nAnd reaveld is your yellow hair,\nThat I saw late yestreen.\u2019\n67B.20 \u2018The stockings they are Gib, my man\u2019s,\nThey came first to my hand,\nAnd this is Gib, my man\u2019s shoon,\nAt my bed-feet they stand;\nI\u2019ve reavelld a\u2019 my yellow hair\nComing against the wind.\u2019\n67B.21 He\u2019s taen the harp intill his hand,\nHe harpit and he sang,\nUntil he cam to his master,\nAs fast as he could gang.\n67B.22 \u2018Won up, won up, my good master,\nI fear ye sleep oer lang;\nThere\u2019s nae a cock in a\u2019 the land\nBut was wappit his wings and crawn.\u2019\n67B.23 Glenkindie\u2019s tane his harp in hand,\nHe harpit and he sang,\nAnd he has reachd the lady\u2019s bower\nAfore that eer he blan.\n67B.24 When he cam to the lady\u2019s bower,\nHe chappit at the chin:\n\u2018O wha is that at my bower-door,\nThat opens na and comes in?\u2019\n\u2018It\u2019s I, Glenkindie, your ain true-love,\nAnd in I canna win.\u2019\n* * * * *\n67B.25 \u2018Forbid it, forbid it,\u2019 says that lady,\n\u2018That ever sic shame betide,\nThat I should first be a wild loon\u2019s lass,\nAnd than a young knight\u2019s bride.\u2019\n67B.26 He\u2019s taen his harp intill his hand,\nHe harpit and he sang,\nAnd he is hame to Gib, his man,\nAs fast as he could gang.\n67B.27 \u2018Come forth, come forth, now, Gib, my man,\nTill I pay you your fee;\nCome forth, come forth, now, Gib, my man,\nWeel payit sall ye be.\u2019\n67B.28 And he has taen him Gib, his man,\nAnd he has hangd him hie,\nAnd he\u2019s hangit him oer his ain yate,\nAs high as high could be.\n67B.29 There was nae pity for that lady,\nFor she lay cald and dead,\nBut a\u2019 was for him, Glenkindie,\nIn bower he must go mad.\n67C: Glasgerion\n67C.1 GLENKINNIE was as good a harper\nAs ever harpet tone;\nHe harpet fish out o the sea-flood,\nAnd water out of a dry loan,\nAnd milk out o the maiden\u2019s breast\nThat bairn had never neen.\n67C.2 He harpit i the king\u2019s palace,\nHe harpit them a\u2019 asleep,\nUnless it were Burd Bell alone,\nAnd she stud on her feet.\n67C.3 \u2018Ye will do ye home, Glenkinnie,\nAnd ye will take a sleep,\nAnd ye will come to my bower-door\nBefore the cock\u2019s crowing.\u2019\n67C.4 He\u2019s taen out his milk-white steed,\nAnd fast away rode he,\nTill he came to his ain castle,\nWhere gold glanced never so hie.\n67C.5 \u2018Might I tell ye, Jeck, my man,\nGin I had slain a man?\u2019\n\u2018Deed might [ye], my good master,\nAltho ye had slain ten.\u2019\n67C.6 \u2018I\u2019ve faun in love wi a gay ladie,\nShe\u2019s daughter to the Queen,\nAnd I maun be at her bower-door\nBefore the cock\u2019s crowing.\u2019\n67C.7 He\u2019s taen out his master\u2019s steed,\nAnd fast awa rode he,\nUntil he cam to Burd Bell\u2019s door,\nWhere gold glanced never so hie.\n67C.8 When he came to Burd Bell\u2019s door,\nHe tirled at the pin,\nAnd up she rose, away she goes,\nTo let Glenkinnie in.\n67C.9 . . . . .\n. . . . .\n. . . . .\nThat I combed out yestreen.\n* * * * *\n67C.10 She looked out at a shot-window,\nAtween her and the meen:\n\u2018There is twa lovers beguiled the night,\nAnd I fear I am ane.\n67C.11 \u2018Ye shall na hae to say, Glenkindie,\nWhen you sit at the wine,\nThat once you loved a queen\u2019s daughter,\nAnd she was your footman\u2019s quean.\u2019\n* * * * *","title":"The Child Ballads: 67. Glasgerion","type":"page"}