{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch097.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch097.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch097.htm","text":"97A.1 THE king but an his nobles a\u2019\nSat birling at the wine;\nHe would ha nane but his ae daughter\nTo wait on them at dine.\n97A.2 She\u2019s servd them butt, she\u2019s servd them ben,\nIntill a gown of green,\nBut her ee was ay on Brown Robin,\nThat stood low under the rain.\n97A.3 She\u2019s doen her to her bigly bowr,\nAs fast as she coud gang,\nAn there she\u2019s drawn her shot-window,\nAn she\u2019s harped an she sang.\n97A.4 \u2018There sits a bird i my father\u2019s garden,\nAn O but she sings sweet!\nI hope to live an see the day\nWhan wi my love I\u2019ll meet.\u2019\n97A.5 \u2018O gin that ye like me as well\nAs your tongue tells to me,\nWhat hour o the night, my lady bright,\nAt your bowr sal I be?\u2019\n97A.6 \u2018Whan my father an gay Gilbert\nAre baith set at the wine,\nO ready, ready I will be\nTo lat my true-love in.\u2019\n97A.7 O she has birld her father\u2019s porter\nWi strong beer an wi wine,\nUntil he was as beastly drunk\nAs ony wild-wood swine:\nShe\u2019s stown the keys o her father\u2019s yates\nAn latten her true-love in.\n97A.8 Whan night was gane, an day was come,\nAn the sun shone on their feet,\nThen out it spake him Brown Robin,\nI\u2019ll be discoverd yet.\n97A.9 Then out it spake that gay lady:\nMy love, ye need na doubt;\nFor wi ae wile I\u2019ve got you in,\nWi anither I\u2019ll bring you out.\n97A.10 She\u2019s taen her to her father\u2019s cellar,\nAs fast as she can fare;\nShe\u2019s drawn a cup o the gude red wine,\nHung \u2019t low down by her gare;\nAn she met wi her father dear\nJust coming down the stair.\n97A.11 \u2018I woud na gi that cup, daughter,\nThat ye hold i your han\nFor a\u2019 the wines in my cellar,\nAn gantrees whare the stan.\u2019\n97A.12 \u2018O wae be to your wine, father,\nThat ever\u2019t came oer the sea;\n\u2019T\u2019 is pitten my head in sick a steer\nI my bowr I canna be.\u2019\n97A.13 \u2018Gang out, gang out, my daughter dear,\nGang out an tack the air;\nGang out an walk i the good green wood,\nAn a\u2019 your marys fair.\u2019\n97A.14 Then out it spake the proud porter-+-\nOur lady wishd him shame-+-\n\u2018We\u2019ll send the marys to the wood,\nBut we\u2019ll keep our lady at hame.\u2019\n97A.15 \u2018There\u2019s thirty marys i my bowr,\nThere\u2019s thirty o them an three;\nBut there\u2019s nae ane amo them a\u2019\nKens what flowr gain for me.\u2019\n97A.16 She\u2019s doen her to her bigly bowr,\nAs fast as she could gang,\nAn she has dresst him Brown Robin\nLike ony bowr-woman.\n97A.17 The gown she pat upon her love\nWas o the dainty green,\nHis hose was o the saft, saft silk,\nHis shoon o the cordwain fine.\n97A.18 She\u2019s pitten his bow in her bosom,\nHis arrow in her sleeve,\nHis sturdy bran her body next,\nBecause he was her love.\n97A.19 Then she is unto her bowr-door,\nAs fast as she coud gang;\nBut out it spake the proud porter-+-\nOur lady wishd him shame-+-\n\u2018We\u2019ll cout our marys to the wood,\nAn we\u2019ll cout them back again.\u2019\n97A.20 The firsten mary she sent out\nWas Brown Robin by name;\nThen out it spake the king himsel,\n\u2018This is a sturdy dame.\u2019\n97A.21 O she went out in a May morning,\nIn a May morning so gay,\nBut she came never back again,\nHer auld father to see.\n97B: Brown Robin\n97B.1 A FEATHERD fowl\u2019s in your orchard, father,\nO dear, but it sings sweet!\nWhat would I give, my father dear,\nThat bonnie bird to meet!\u2019\nWhat would I give, etc.\n97B.2 \u2018O hold your tongue, my daughter Mary,\nLet a\u2019 your folly be;\nThere\u2019s six Scots lords tomorrow, child,\nThat will a\u2019 dine wi me,\nAnd ye maun serve tham a\u2019, Mary,\nAs \u2019twere for meat and fee.\u2019\n97B.3 She served them up, sae has she down,\nThe footmen a\u2019 the same,\nBut her mind was aye on Love Robbie,\nStood out below the rain.\n97B.4 A hundred pun o pennies roun,\nTied in a towel so sma,\nShe has gien to him Love Robbie,\nOut oer the castle-wa;\nSays, Tak ye that, my love Robbie\nAnd mysel ye may hae.\n97B.5 A hundred pun o pennies roun,\nTied in a napkin white,\nShe has gien to him Love Robbie,\nOut oer the garden-dyke;\nSays, Tak ye that, my Love Robbie,\nAnd mysel gin ye like.\n97B.6 \u2018If this be true ye tell to me,\nAs your tongue woudna lee,\nI shall be in your bigly bower\nBefore the clock strike three;\nI shall be in your bigly bower,\nDressd like a gay ladye.\u2019\n97B.7 When bells were rung, and mass was sung,\nAnd all men bound for bed,\nLove Robbie came to Mary\u2019s bower,\nDressd like a comely maid.\n97B.8 They had not kissd nor love clapp d,\nAs lovers when they meet,\nTill sighing said he Love Robbie,\nMy life, my life I doubt.\n97B.9 \u2018Your life, your life, you Love Robbie,\nYour life you needna doubt;\nFor it was wiles brought in Robbie,\nAnd wiles will lat him out.\u2019\n97B.10 Then in it came her father dear,\nAnd stood upon the floor,\nAnd she filld the cup of good red wine,\nSaid, Father, will ye drink more?\n97B.11 \u2018O better I love the cup, Mary,\nThe cup that\u2019s in your hand,\nThan all my barrels full of wine,\nOn the gantrees where they stand.\u2019\n97B.12 \u2018O woe be to your wine, father,\nIt eer came oer the sea!\nIf I getna the air o good greenwood\nO I will surely dee.\u2019\n97B.13 \u2018There\u2019s seven maries in your bower,\nThere\u2019s seven o them and three,\nAnd I\u2019ll send them to good greenwood,\nFor flowers to shortsome thee.\u2019\n97B.14 \u2018There\u2019s seven maries in my bower,\nThere\u2019s seven o them and three,\nBut there\u2019s nae a mary mang them a\u2019\nCan pu flowers to shortsome me:\u2019\n\u2018Then by my sooth,\u2019 said her father dear,\n\u2018Let yoursel gang them wi.\u2019\n97B.15 She dressd hersel in the royal red,\nLove Robbie was in dainty green;\nLove Robbie\u2019s brand was about his middle,\nAnd he shone like ony queen.\n97B.16 The firsten ane that took the floor,\nLove Robbie was that ane:\n\u2018Now by my sooth,\u2019 said the proud porter,\n\u2018She is a sonsie dame;\nI would not care now very much\nTo turn her in again.\u2019\n97B.17 \u2018I\u2019d fain see any woman or man,\nOf high or low degree,\nWould turn a mary in again\nThat once came out with me.\u2019\n97B.18 They had not been in good greenwood,\nPu\u2019d a flower but only three,\nTill the porter stood behind a bush,\nAnd shot him Love Robbie.\n97B.19 Now word has come to her father dear,\nIn the chamber where he lay,\nLady Mary\u2019s sick in good greenwood,\nAnd cannot come away.\n97B.20 He\u2019s taen his mantle him about,\nHis cane into his han,\nAnd he is on to good greenwood,\nAs fast as he could gang.\n97B.21 \u2018O want you fish out o the fleed,\nOr whale out o the sea?\nOr is there any one alive\nThis day has angerd thee?\u2019\n97B.22 \u2018I want not fish out o the fleed,\nNor whale out o the sea;\nBut woe be to your proud porter,\nSae sair\u2019s he\u2019s angerd me!\nHe\u2019s shot the fairest flower this day,\nThat would hae comfort me.\u2019\n97B.23 \u2018O hold your tongue, my daughter Mary,\nLet a\u2019 your folly be;\nTomorrow ere I eat or drink\nHigh hang d shall he be.\u2019\n97C: Brown Robin\n97C.1 \u2018THERE is a bird in my father\u2019s orchard,\nAnd dear, but it sings sweet!\nI hope to live to see the day\nThis bird and I will meet.\u2019\n97C.2 \u2018O hold your tongue, my daughter Mally,\nLet a\u2019 your folly be;\nWhat bird is that in my orchard\nSae shortsome is to thee?\n97C.3 \u2018There are four-an-twenty noble lords\nThe morn shoud dine wi me;\nAnd ye maun serve them a\u2019, Mally,\nLike one for meat and fee.\u2019\n97C.4 She servd the nobles all as one,\nThe horsemen much the same;\nBut her mind was aye to Brown Robyn,\nBeneath the heavy rain.\n97C.5 Then she\u2019s rowd up a thousand pounds\nIntil a servit white,\nAnd she gae that to Brown Robyn,\nOut ower the garden-dyke:\nSays, Take ye that, my love Robyn,\nAnd mysell gin ye like.\n97C.6 \u2018If this be true, my dame,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018That ye hae tauld to me,\nAbout the hour o twall at night,\nAt your bower-door I\u2019ll be.\u2019\n97C.7 But ere the hour o twall did chap,\nAnd lang ere it was ten,\nShe had hersell there right and ready\nTo lat Brown Robyn in.\n97C.8 They hadna kissd nor love clapped\nTill the birds sang on the ha;\n\u2018O,\u2019 sighing says him Brown Robyn,\n\u2018I wish I were awa!\u2019\n97C.9 They hadna sitten muckle langer\nTill the guards shot ower the way;\nThen sighing says him Brown Robyn,\n\u2018I fear my life this day.\u2019\n97C.10 \u2018O had your tongue, my love Robyn,\nOf this take ye nae doubt;\nIt was by wiles I brought you in,\nBy wiles I\u2019ll bring you out.\u2019\n97C.11 Then she\u2019s taen up a cup o wine,\nTo her father went she;\n\u2018O drink the wine, father,\u2019 she said,\n\u2018O drink the wine wi me.\u2019\n97C.12 \u2018O well love I the cup, daughter,\nBut better love I the wine;\nAnd better love I your fair body\nThan a\u2019 the gowd in Spain.\u2019\n97C.13 \u2018Wae be to the wine, father,\nThat last came ower the sea;\nWithout the air o gude greenwood,\nThere\u2019s nae remeid for me.\u2019\n97C.14 \u2018Ye\u2019ve thirty maries in your bower,\nYe\u2019ve thirty and hae three;\nSend ane o them to pu a flower,\nStay ye at hame wi me.\u2019\n97C.15 \u2018I\u2019ve thirty maries in my bower,\nI\u2019ve thirty o them and nine;\nBut there\u2019s nae a marie amo them a\u2019\nThat kens my grief and mind.\n97C.16 \u2018For they may pu the nut, the nut,\nAnd sae may they the slae,\nBut there\u2019s nane amo them a\u2019 that kens\nThe herb that I woud hae.\u2019\n97C.17 \u2018Well, gin ye gang to gude greenwood,\nCome shortly back again;\nYe are sae fair and are sae rare,\nYour body may get harm.\u2019\n97C.18 She dressd hersell into the red,\nBrown Robyn all in green,\nAnd put his brand across his middle,\nHe was a stately dame.\n97C.19 The first ane stepped ower the yett,\nIt was him Brown Robyn;\n\u2018By my sooth,\u2019 said the proud porter,\n\u2018This is a stately dame.\n97C.20 \u2018O wi your leave, lady,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018And leave o a\u2019 your kin,\nI woudna think it a great sin\nTo turn that marie in.\u2019\n97C.21 \u2018O had your tongue, ye proud porter,\nLet a\u2019 your folly be;\nYe darena turn a marie in\nThat ance came forth wi me.\u2019\n97C.22 \u2018Well shall I call your maries out,\nAnd as well shall I in;\nFor I am safe to gie my oath\nThat marie is a man.\u2019\n97C.23 Soon she went to gude greenwood,\nAnd soon came back again;\n\u2018Gude sooth,\u2019 replied the proud porter,\n\u2018We\u2019ve lost our stately dame.\u2019\n97C.24 \u2018My maid\u2019s faen sick in gude greenwood,\nAnd sick and liken to die;\nThe morn before the cocks do craw,\nThat marie I maun see.\u2019\n97C.25 Out it spake her father then,\nSays, Porter, let me know\nIf I will cause her stay at hame,\nOr shall I let her go?\n97C.26 \u2018She says her maid\u2019s sick in the wood,\nAnd sick and like to die;\nI really think she is too gude\nNor ever woud make a lie.\u2019\n97C.27 Then he whispered in her ear,\nAs she was passing by,\n\u2018What will ye say if I reveal\nWhat I saw wi my eye?\u2019\n97C.28 \u2018If ought ye ken about the same,\nO heal that well on me,\nAnd if I live or brook my life,\nRewarded ye shall be.\u2019\n97C.29 Then she got leave o her father\nTo gude greenwood again,\nAnd she is gane wi Brown Robyn,\nBut \u2019twas lang ere she came hame.\n97C.30 O then her father began to mourn,\nAnd thus lamented he:\n\u2018O I woud gie ten thousand pounds\nMy daughter for to see.\u2019\n97C.31 \u2018If ye will promise,\u2019 the porter said,\n\u2018To do nae injury,\nI will find out your daughter dear,\nAnd them that\u2019s gane her wi.\u2019\n97C.32 Then he did swear a solemn oath,\nBy a\u2019 his gowd and land,\nNae injury to them\u2019s be dune,\nWhether it be maid or man.\n97C.33 The porter then a letter wrote,\nAnd seald it wi his hand,\nAnd sent it to that lady fair,\nFor to return hame.\n97C.34 When she came to her father\u2019s ha,\nHe received her joyfullie,\nAnd married her to Brown Robyn;\nNow a happy man was he.\n97C.35 She hadna been in her father\u2019s ha\nA day but barely three,\nTill she settled the porter well for life,\nWi gowd and white monie.","title":"The Child Ballads: 97. Brown Robin","type":"page"}