{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch090.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch090.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch090.htm","text":"90A.1 O JELLON GRAME sat in Silver Wood,\nHe whistled and he sang,\nAnd he has calld his little foot-page,\nHis errand for to gang.\n90A.2 \u2018Win up, my bonny boy,\u2019 he says,\n\u2018As quick as eer you may;\nFor ye maun gang for Lillie Flower,\nBefore the break of day.\u2019\n90A.3 The boy he\u2019s buckled his belt about,\nAnd thro the green-wood ran,\nAnd he came to the ladie\u2019s bower-door,\nBefore the day did dawn.\n90A.4 \u2018O sleep ye, or wake ye, Lillie Flower?\nThe red run\u2019s i the rain:\u2019\n\u2018I sleep not aft, I wake right aft;\nWha\u2019s that that kens my name?\u2019\n90A.5 \u2018Ye are bidden come to Silver Wood,\nBut I fear you\u2019ll never win hame;\nYe are bidden come to Silver Wood,\nAnd speak wi Jellon Grame.\u2019\n90A.6 \u2018O I will gang to Silver Wood,\nThough I shoud never win hame;\nFor the thing I most desire on earth\nIs to speak wi Jellon Grame.\u2019\n90A.7 She had no ridden a mile, a mile,\nA mile but barely three,\nEre she came to a new made grave,\nBeneath a green oak tree.\n90A.8 O then up started Jellon Grame,\nOut of a bush hard bye:\n\u2018Light down, light down now, Lillie Flower,\nFor it\u2019s here that ye maun ly.\u2019\n90A.9 She lighted aff her milk-white steed,\nAnd knelt upon her knee:\n\u2018O mercy, mercy, Jellon Grame!\nFor I\u2019m nae prepar\u2019d to die.\n90A.10 \u2018Your bairn, that stirs between my sides,\nMaun shortly see the light;\nBut to see it weltring in my blude\nWoud be a piteous sight.\u2019\n90A.11 \u2018O shoud I spare your life,\u2019 he says,\n\u2018Until that bairn be born,\nI ken fu well your stern father\nWoud hang me on the morn.\u2019\n90A.12 \u2018O spare my life now, Jellon Grame!\nMy father ye neer need dread;\nI\u2019ll keep my bairn i the good green wood,\nOr wi it I\u2019ll beg my bread.\u2019\n90A.13 He took nae pity on that ladie,\nTho she for life did pray;\nBut pierced her thro the fair body,\nAs at his feet she lay.\n90A.14 He felt nae pity for that ladie,\nTho she was lying dead;\nBut he felt some for the bonny boy,\nLay weltring in her blude.\n90A.15 Up has he taen that bonny boy,\nGien him to nurices nine,\nThree to wake, and three to sleep,\nAnd three to go between.\n90A.16 And he\u2019s brought up that bonny boy,\nCalld him his sister\u2019s son;\nHe thought nae man would eer find out\nThe deed that he had done.\n90A.17 But it sae fell out upon a time,\nAs a hunting they did gay,\nThat they rested them in Silver Wood,\nUpon a summer-day.\n90A.18 Then out it spake that bonny boy,\nWhile the tear stood in his eye,\n\u2018O tell me this now, Jellon Grame,\nAnd I pray you dinna lie.\n90A.19 \u2018The reason that my mother dear\nDoes never take me hame?\nTo keep me still in banishment\nIs baith a sin and shame.\u2019\n90A.20 \u2018You wonder that your mother dear\nDoes never send for thee;\nLo, there\u2019s the place I slew thy mother,\nBeneath that green oak tree.\u2019\n90A.21 Wi that the boy has bent his bow,\nIt was baith stout and lang,\nAnd through and thro him Jellon Grame\nHe\u2019s gard an arrow gang.\n90A.22 Says, Lye you thare now, Jellon Grame,\nMy mellison you wi;\nThe place my mother lies buried in\nIs far too good for thee.\n90B: Jellon Grame\n90B.1 WORD has come to May Margerie,\nIn her bower where she sat:\n\u2018You are bid come to good green-wood,\nTo make your love a shirt.\u2019\n90B.2 \u2018I wonder much,\u2019 said May Margerie,\n\u2018At this message to me;\nThere is not a month gone of this year\nBut I have made him three.\u2019\n90B.3 Then out did speak her mother dear,\nA wise woman was she;\nSaid, Stay at home, my daughter May,\nThey seek to murder thee.\n90B.4 \u2018O I\u2019ll cast off my gloves, mother,\nAnd hang them up, I say;\nIf I come never back again,\nThey will mind you on May.\n90B.5 \u2018Go saddle my horseback,\u2019 she said,\n\u2018It\u2019s quick as ever you may,\nAnd we will ride to good green-wood;\nIt is a pleasant day.\u2019\n90B.6 And when she came to good green-wood,\nIt\u2019s through it they did ride;\nThen up did start him Hind Henry,\nJust at the lady\u2019s side.\n90B.7 Says, Stop, O stop, you May Margerie,\nJust stop I say to thee;\nThe boy that leads your bridle reins\nShall see you red and blue.\n90B.8 It\u2019s out he drew a long, long brand,\nAnd stroked it ower a strae,\nAnd through and through that lady\u2019s sides\nHe made the cauld weapon gae.\n90B.9 Says, Take you that now, May Margerie,\nJust take you that from me,\nBecause you love Brown Robin,\nAnd never would love me.\n90B.10 There was less pity for that lady,\nWhen she was lying dead,\nAs was for her bony infant boy,\nLay swathed amang her bleed.\n90B.11 The boy fled home with all his might,\nThe tear into his ee:\n\u2018They have slain my lady in the wood,\nWith fear I\u2019m like to die.\u2019\n90B.12 Her sister\u2019s ran into the wood,\nWith greater grief and care,\nSighing and sobbing all the way,\nTearing her cloaths and hair.\n90B.13 Says, I\u2019ll take up that fair infant,\nAnd lull him on my sleeve;\nAltho his father should wish me woe,\nHis mother to me was leeve.\n90B.14 Now she has taken the infant up,\nAnd she has brought him hame,\nAnd she has called him Brown Robin,\nThat was his father\u2019s name.\n90B.15 And when he did grow up a bit,\nShe put him to the lair,\nAnd of all the youths was at that school\nNone could with him compare.\n90B.16 And it fell once upon a day\nA playtime it was come,\nAnd when the rest went from the school,\nEach one to their own home,\n90B.17 He hied him unto good green-wood,\nAnd leapt from tree to tree;\nIt was to pull a hollin wand,\nTo play his ownself wi.\n90B.18 And when he thus had passed his time,\nTo go home he was fain,\nHe chanced to meet him Hind Henry,\nWhere his mother was slain.\n90B.19 \u2018O how is this,\u2019 the youth cried out,\n\u2018If it to you is known,\nHow all this wood is growing grass,\nAnd on that small spot grows none?\u2019\n90B.20 \u2018Since you do wonder, bonnie boy,\nI shall tell you anon;\nThat is indeed the very spot\nI killed your mother in.\u2019\n90B.21 He catched hold of Henry\u2019s brand,\nAnd stroked it ower a strae,\nAnd thro and thro Hind Henry\u2019s sides\nHe made the cauld metal gae.\n90B.22 Says, Take you that, O Hind Henry,\nO take you that from me,\nFor killing of my mother dear,\nAnd her not hurting thee.\n90C: Jellon Grame\n90C.1 WHEN spring appeard in all its bloom,\nAnd flowers grew fresh and green,\nAs May-a-Roe she set her down,\nTo lay gowd on her seam.\n90C.2 But word has come to that lady,\nAt evening when \u2019twas dark,\nTo meet her love in gude greenwood,\nAnd bring to him a sark.\n90C.3 \u2018That\u2019s strange to me,\u2019 said May-a-Roe,\n\u2018For how can a\u2019 this be?\nA month or twa is scarcely past\nSin I sent my lovie three.\u2019\n90C.4 Then May-a-Roe lap on her steed,\nAnd quickly rade away;\nShe hadna ridden but hauf a mile,\nTill she heard a voice to say:\n90C.5 \u2018Turn back, turn back, ye ventrous maid,\nNae farther must ye go;\nFor the boy that leads your bridle rein\nLeads you to your overthrow.\u2019\n90C.6 But a\u2019 these words she neer did mind,\nBut fast awa did ride;\nAnd up it starts him Hynde Henry,\nJust fair by her right side.\n90C.7 \u2018Ye\u2019ll tarry here, perfidious maid,\nFor by my hand ye\u2019se dee;\nYe married my brother, Brown Robin,\nWhan ye shoud hae married me.\u2019\n90C.8 \u2018O mercy, mercy, Hynde Henry,\nO mercy have on me!\nFor I am eight months gane wi child,\nTherefore ye\u2019ll lat me be.\u2019\n90C.9 \u2018Nae mercy is for thee, fair maid,\nNae mercy is for thee;\nYou married my brother, Brown Robin,\nWhan ye shoud hae married me.\u2019\n90C.10 \u2018Ye will bring here the bread, Henry,\nAnd I will bring the wine,\nAnd ye will drink to your ain love,\nAnd I will drink to mine.\u2019\n90C.11 \u2018I winna bring here the bread, fair maid,\nNor yet shall ye the wine,\nNor will I drink to my ain love,\nNor yet shall ye to thine.\u2019\n90C.12 \u2018O mercy, mercy, Hynde Henry,\nUntil I lighter be!\nHae mercy on your brother\u2019s bairn,\nTho ye hae nane for me.\u2019\n90C.13 \u2018Nae mercy is for thee, fair maid,\nNae mercy is for thee;\nSuch mercy unto you I\u2019ll gie\nAs what ye gae to me.\u2019\n90C.14 Then he\u2019s taen out a trusty brand,\nAnd stroakd it ower a strae,\nAnd thro and thro her fair body\nHe\u2019s gart cauld iron gae.\n90C.15 Nae meen was made for that lady,\nFor she was lying dead;\nBut a\u2019 was for her bonny bairn,\nLay spartling by her side.\n90C.16 Then he\u2019s taen up the bonny bairn,\nHandled him tenderlie,\nAnd said, Ye are o my ain kin,\nTho your mother ill used me.\n90C.17 He\u2019s washen him at the crystal stream,\nAnd rowd him in a weed,\nAnd namd him after a bold robber\nWho was calld Robin Hood.\n90C.18 Then brought to the next borough\u2019s town,\nAnd gae him nurses three;\nHe grew as big in ae year auld\nAs some boys woud in three.\n90C.19 Then he was sent to guid squeel-house,\nTo learn how to thrive;\nHe learnd as muckle in ae year\u2019s time\nAs some Boys would in five.\n90C.20 \u2018But I wonder, I wonder,\u2019 said little Robin,\n\u2018Gin eer a woman bare me;\nFor mony a lady spiers for the rest,\nBut nae ane spiers for me.\n90C.21 \u2018I wonder, I wonder,\u2019 said little Robin,\n\u2018Were I of woman born;\nWhan ladies my comrades do caress,\nThey look at me wi scorn.\u2019\n90C.22 It fell upon an evening-tide,\nWas ae night by it lane,\nWhan a\u2019 the boys frae guid squeel-house\nWere merrily coming hame,\n90C.23 Robin parted frae the rest,\nHe wishd to be alane;\nAnd when his comrades he dismist,\nTo guid greenwood he\u2019s gane.\n90C.24 When he came to guid greenwood,\nHe clamb frae tree to tree,\nTo pou some o the finest leaves,\nFfor to divert him wi.\n90C.25 He hadna pu\u2019d a leaf, a leaf,\nNor brake a branch but ane,\nTill by it came him Hynde Henry,\nAnd bade him lat alane.\n90C.26 \u2018You are too bauld a boy,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018Sae impudent you be,\nAs pu the leaves that\u2019s nae your ain,\nOr yet to touch the tree.\u2019\n90C.27 \u2018O mercy, mercy, gentleman,\nO mercy hae on me!\nFor if that I offence hae done,\nIt was unknown to me.\u2019\n90C.28 \u2018Nae boy comes here to guid greenwood\nBut pays a fine to me;\nYour velvet coat, or shooting-bow,\nWhich o them will ye gie?\u2019\n90C.29 \u2018My shooting-bow arches sae well,\nWi it I canno part;\nLest wer\u2019t to send a sharp arrow\nTo pierce you to the heart.\u2019\n90C.30 He turnd him right and round about,\nHis countenance did change:\n\u2018Ye seem to be a boy right bauld;\nWhy can ye talk sae strange?\n90C.31 \u2018I\u2019m sure ye are the bauldest boy\nThat ever I talkd wi;\nAs for your mother, May-a-Roe,\nShe was neer sae bauld to me.\u2019\n90C.32 \u2018O, if ye knew my mother,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018That\u2019s very strange to me;\nAnd if that ye my mother knew,\nIt\u2019s mair than I coud dee.\u2019\n90C.33 \u2018Sae well as I your mother knew,\nAnce my sweet-heart was she;\nBecause to me she broke her vow,\nThis maid was slain by me.\u2019\n90C.34 \u2018O, if ye slew my mother dear,\nAs I trust ye make nae lie,\nI wyte ye never did the deed\nThat better paid shall be.\u2019\n90C.35 \u2018O mercy, mercy, little Robin,\nO mercy hae on me!\u2019\n\u2018Sic mercy as ye pae my mother,\nSic mercy I\u2019ll gie thee.\n90C.36 \u2018Prepare yourself, perfidious man,\nFor by my hand ye\u2019se dee;\nNow come\u2019s that bluidy butcher\u2019s end\nTook my mother frae me.\u2019\n90C.37 Then he hae chosen a sharp arrow,\nThat was baith keen and smart,\nAnd let it fly at Hynde Henry,\nAnd piercd him to the heart.\n90C.38 These news hae gaen thro Stirling town,\nLikewise thro Hunting-ha;\nAt last it reachd the king\u2019s own court,\nAmang the nobles a\u2019.\n90C.39 When the king got word o that,\nA light laugh then gae he,\nAnd he\u2019s sent for him little Robin,\nTo come right speedilie.\n90C.40 He\u2019s putten on little Robin\u2019s head\nA ribbon and gowden crown,\nAnd made him ane o\u2019s finest knights,\nFor the valour he had done.\n90D: Jellon Grame\n90D.1 * * * *\nD\u2019YE mind, d\u2019ye mind, Lady Margerie,\nWhen we handed round the beer?\nSeven times I fainted for your sake,\nAnd you never dropt a tear.\n90D.2 \u2018D\u2019ye mind, d\u2019ye mind, Lady Margerie,\nWhen we handed round the wine?\nSeven times I fainted for your sake,\nAnd you never fainted once for mine.\u2019\n* * * * *\n90D.3 And he\u2019s taen the baby out of her womb\nAnd thrown it upon a thorn:\n\u2018Let the wind blow east, let the wind blow west,\nThe cradle will rock its lone.\u2019\n* * * * *\n90D.4 But when brother Henry\u2019s cruel brand\nHad done the bloody deed,\nThe silver-buttons flew off his coat,\nAnd his nose began to bleed.\n* * * * *\n90D.5 \u2018O I have been killing in the silver wood\nWhat will breed mickle woe;\nI have been killing in the silver wood\nA dawdy and a doe.\u2019\n* * * * *","title":"The Child Ballads: 90. Jellon Grame","type":"page"}