{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch086.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch086.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch086.htm","text":"86A.1 OF a\u2019 the maids o fair Scotland\nThe fairest was Marjorie,\nAnd young Benjie was her ae true-love,\nAnd a dear true-love was he.\n86A.2 And wow! but they were lovers dear,\nAnd loved fu constantlie;\nBut ay the mair, when they fell out,\nThe sairer was their plea.\n86A.3 And they hae quarrelled on a day,\nTill Marjorie\u2019s heart grew wae,\nAnd she said she\u2019d chuse another luve,\nAnd let Young Benjie gae.\n86A.4 And he was stout, and proud-hearted,\nAnd thought o\u2019t bitterlie,\nAnd he\u2019s gaen by the wan moon-light\nTo meet his Marjorie.\n86A.5 \u2018O open, open, my true-love,\n\u2018O open, open, my true-love,\n\u2018I dare na open, Young Benjie,\nMy three brother are within.\u2019\n86A.6 \u2018Ye lied, ye lied, ye bonny burd,\nSae loud\u2019s I hear ye lie;\nAs I came by the Lowden banks,\nThey bade gude een to me.\n86A.7 \u2018But fare ye weel, my ae fause love,\nThat I hae loved sae lang!\nIt sets ye chuse another love,\nAnd let Young Benjie gang.\u2019\n86A.8 Then Marjorie turned her round about,\nThe tear blinding her ee:\n\u2018I darena, darena let thee in,\nBut I\u2019ll come down to thee.\u2019\n86A.9 Then saft she smiled, and said to him,\nO what ill hae I done?\nHe took her in his armis twa,\nAnd threw her oer the linn.\n86A.10 The stream was strang, the maid was stout,\nAnd laith, laith to be dang,\nBut ere she wan the Lowden banks\nHer fair colour was wan.\n86A.11 Then up bespak her eldest brother,\n\u2018O see na ye what I see?\u2019\nAnd out then spak her second brother,\n\u2018It\u2019s our sister Marjorie!\u2019\n86A.12 Out then spak her eldest brother,\n\u2018O how shall we her ken?\u2019\nAnd out then spak her youngest brother,\n\u2018There\u2019s a honey-mark on her chin.\u2019\n86A.13 Then they\u2019ve taen up the comely corpse,\nAnd laid it on the grund:\n\u2018O wha has killed our ae sister,\nAnd how can he be found?\n86A.14 \u2018The night it is her low lykewake,\nThe morn her burial day,\nAnd we maun watch at mirk midnight,\nAnd hear what she will say.\u2019\n86A.15 Wi doors ajar, and candle-light,\nAnd torches burning clear,\nThe streikit corpse, till still midnight,\nThey waked, but naething hear.\n86A.16 About the middle o the night\nThe cocks began to craw,\nAnd at the dead hour o the night\nThe corpse began to thraw.\n86A.17 \u2018O wha has done the wrang, sister,\nOr dared the deadly sin?\nWha was sae stout, and feared nae dout,\nAs thraw ye oer the linn?\u2019\n86A.18 \u2018Young Benjie was the first ae man\nI laid my love upon;\nHe was sae stout and proud-hearted,\nHe threw me oer the linn.\u2019\n86A.19 \u2018Sall we Young Benjie head, sister?\nSall we Young Benjie hang?\nOr sall we pike out his twa gray een,\nAnd punish him ere he gang?\u2019\n86A.20 \u2018Ye mauna Benjie head, brothers,\nYe mauna Benjie hang,\nBut ye maun pike out his twa gray een,\nAnd punish him ere he gang.\n86A.21 \u2018Tie a green gravat round his neck,\nAnd lead him out and in,\nAnd the best ae servant about your house\nTo wait Young Benjie on.\n86A.22 \u2018And ay, at every seven year\u2019s end,\nYe\u2019ll tak him to the linn;\nFor that\u2019s the penance he maun drie,\nTo scug his deadly sin.\u2019\n86B: Young Benjie\n86B.1 \u2018O COME along wi me, brother,\nNow come along wi me;\n\u2018O COME along wi me, brother,\nNow come along wi me;\nAnd we\u2019ll gae seek our sister Maisry,\nInto the water o Dee.\u2019\n86B.2 The eldest brother he stepped in,\nHe stepped to the knee;\nThen out he jumpd upo the bank,\nSays, This water\u2019s nae for me.\n86B.3 The second brother he stepped in,\nHe stepped to the quit;\nThen out he jumpd upo the bank,\nSays, This water\u2019s wondrous deep.\n86B.4 When the third brother stepped in,\nHe stepped to the chin;\nOut he got, and forward wade,\nFor fear o drowning him.\n86B.5 The younges brother he stepped in,\nTook\u2019s sister by the hand;\nSaid, Here she is, my sister Maisry,\nWi the hinny-draps on her chin.\n86B.6 \u2018O if I were in some bonny ship,\nAnd in some strange countrie,\nFor to find out some conjurer,\nTo gar Maisry speak to me!\u2019\n86B.7 Then out it speaks an auld woman,\nAs she was passing by:\n\u2018Ask of your sister what you want,\nAnd she will speak to thee.\u2019\n86B.8 \u2018O sister, tell me who is the man\nThat did your body win?\nAnd who is the wretch, tell me, likewise,\nThat threw you in the lin?\u2019\n86B.9 \u2018O Bondsey was the only man\nThat did my body win;\nAnd likewise Bondsey was the man\nThat threw me in the lin.\u2019\n86B.10 \u2018O will we Bondsey head, sister?\nOr will we Bondsey hang?\nOr will we set him at our bow-end,\nLat arrows at him gang?\u2019\n86B.11 \u2018Ye winna Bondsey head, brothers,\nNor will ye Bondsey hang;\nBut ye\u2019ll take out his twa grey een,\nMake Bondsey blind to gang.\n86B.12 \u2018Ye\u2019ll put to the gate a chain o gold,\nA rose garland gar make,\nAnd ye\u2019ll put that in Bondsey\u2019s head,\nA\u2019 for your sister\u2019s sake.\u2019","title":"The Child Ballads: 86. Young Benjie","type":"page"}