{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch103.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch103.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch103.htm","text":"103A.1 O ROSE the Red and White Lilly,\nTheir mother dear was dead,\nAnd their father married an ill woman,\nWishd them twa little guede.\n103A.2 Yet she had twa as fu fair sons\nAs eer brake manis bread,\nAnd the tane of them loed her White Lilly,\nAn the tither lood Rose the Red.\n103A.3 O biggit ha they a bigly bowr,\nAnd strawn it oer wi san,\nAnd there was mair mirth i the ladies\u2019 bowr\nThan in a\u2019 their father\u2019s lan.\n103A.4 But out is spake their step-mother,\nWha stood a little foreby:\nI hope to live and play the prank\nSal gar your loud sang ly.\n103A.5 She\u2019s calld upon her eldest son:\nCome here, my son, to me;\nIt fears me sair, my eldest son,\nThat ye maun sail the sea.\n103A.6 \u2018Gin if fear you sair, my mither dear,\nYour bidding I maun dee;\nBut never war to Rose the Red\nThan ye ha been to me.\u2019\n103A.7 \u2018O had your tongue, my eldest son,\nFor sma sal be her part;\nYou\u2019ll nae get a kiss o her comely mouth\nGin your very fair heart should break.\u2019\n103A.8 She\u2019s calld upon her youngest son:\nCome here, my son, to me;\nIt fears me sair, my youngest son,\nThat ye maun sail the sea.\n103A.9 \u2018Gin it fear you sair, my mither dear,\nYour bidding I maun dee;\nBut be never war to White Lilly\nThan ye ha been to me.\u2019\n103A.10 \u2018O haud your tongue, my youngest son,\nFor sma sall be her part;\nYou\u2019ll neer get a kiss o her comely mouth\nTho your very fair heart should break.\u2019\n103A.11 When Rose the Red and White Lilly\nSaw their twa loves were gane,\nThen stopped ha they their loud, loud sang,\nAnd tane up the still mournin;\nAnd their step-mother stood listnin by,\nTo hear the ladies\u2019 mean.\n103A.12 Then out it spake her White Lilly:\nMy sister, we\u2019ll be gane;\nWhy should we stay in Barnsdale,\nTo waste our youth in pain?\n103A.13 Then cutted ha they their green cloathing\nA little below their knee,\nAn sae ha they there yallow hair,\nA little aboon there bree;\nAn they\u2019ve doen them to haely chapel,\nWas christened by Our Lady.\n103A.14 There ha they chang\u2019d their ain twa names,\nSae far frae ony town,\nAn the tane o them hight Sweet Willy,\nAn the tither o them Roge the Roun.\n103A.15 Between this twa a vow was made,\nAn they sware it to fulfil;\nThat at three blasts o a bugle-horn,\nShe\u2019d come her sister till.\n103A.16 Now Sweet Willy\u2019s gane to the kingis court,\nHer true-love for to see,\nAn Roge the Roun to good green wood,\nBrown Robin\u2019s man to be.\n103A.17 As it fell out upon a day\nThey a\u2019 did put the stane,\nFull seven foot ayont them a\u2019\nShe gard the puttin-stane gang.\n103A.18 She leand her back against an oak,\nAnd gae a loud Ohone!\nThen out it spake him Brown Robin,\nBut that\u2019s a woman\u2019s moan!\n103A.19 \u2018O ken ye by my red rose lip?\nOr by my yallow hair?\nNor ken ye by my milk-white breast?\nFor ye never saw it bare?\u2019\n103A.20 ken no by your red rose lip,\nNor by your yallow hair;\nNor ken I by your milk-white breast,\nFor I never saw it bare;\nBut come to your bowr whaever sae likes,\nWill find a lady there.\u2019\n103A.21 \u2018O gin ye come to my bowr within,\nThro fraud, deceit, or guile,\nWi this same bran that\u2019s in my han,\nI swear I will the kill.\u2019\n103A.22 \u2018But I will come thy bowr within,\nAn spear nae leave,\u2019 quoth he;\n\u2018An this same bran that\u2019s i my han\nI sall ware back on the.\u2019\n103A.23 About the tenth hour of the night\nThe ladie\u2019s bower-door was broken,\nAn eer the first hour of the day\nThe bonny knave-bairn was gotten.\n103A.24 When days were gane, and months were run,\nThe lady took travailing,\nAnd sair she cry\u2019d for a bowr-woman,\nFor to wait her upon.\n103A.25 Then out it spake him Brown Robin:\nNow what needs a\u2019 this din?\nFor what coud any woman do\nBut I coud do the same?\n103A.26 \u2018\u2019Twas never my mither\u2019s fashion,\u2019 she says,\n\u2018Nor sall it ever be mine,\nThat belted knights shoud eer remain\nWhere ladies dreed their pine.\n103A.27 \u2018But ye take up that bugle-horn,\nAn blaw a blast for me;\nI ha a brother in the kingis court\nWill come me quickly ti.\u2019\n103A.28 \u2018O gin ye ha a brither on earth\nThat ye love better nor me,\nYe blaw the horn yoursel,\u2019 he says,\n\u2018For ae blast I winna gie.\u2019\n103A.29 She\u2019s set the horn till her mouth,\nAnd she\u2019s blawn three blasts sae shrill;\nSweet Willy heard i the kingis court,\nAnd came her quickly till.\n103A.30 Then up it started Brown Robin,\nAn an angry man was he:\n\u2018There comes nae man this bowr within\nBut first must fight wi me.\u2019\n103A.31 O they hae fought that bowr within\nTill the sun was gaing down,\nTill drops o blude frae Rose the Red\nCame hailing to the groun.\n103A.32 She leand her back against the wa,\nSays, Robin, let a\u2019 be;\nFor it is a lady born and bred\nThat\u2019s foughten sae well wi thee.\n103A.33 O seven foot he lap a back;\nSays, Alas, and wae is me!\nI never wishit in a\u2019 my life,\nA woman\u2019s blude to see;\nAn a\u2019 for the sake of ae fair maid\nWhose name was White Lilly.\n103A.34 Then out it spake her White Lilly,\nAn a hearty laugh laugh she:\nShe\u2019s lived wi you this year an mair,\nTho ye kentna it was she.\n103A.35 Now word has gane thro a\u2019 the lan,\nBefore a month was done,\nThat Brown Robin\u2019s man, in good green wood,\nHad born a bonny young son.\n103A.36 The word has gane to the kingis court,\nAn to the king himsel;\n\u2018Now, by my fay,\u2019 the king could say,\n\u2018The like was never heard tell!\u2019\n103A.37 Then out it spake him Bold Arthur,\nAn a hearty laugh laugh he:\nI trow some may has playd the loun,\nAnd fled her ain country.\n103A.38 \u2018Bring me my steed,\u2019 then cry\u2019d the king,\n\u2018My bow and arrows keen;\nI\u2019l ride mysel to good green wood,\nAn see what\u2019s to be seen.\u2019\n103A.39 \u2018An\u2019t please your grace,\u2019 said Bold Arthur,\n\u2018My liege, I\u2019ll gang you wi,\nAn try to fin a little foot-page,\nThat\u2019s strayd awa frae me.\u2019\n103A.40 O they\u2019ve hunted i the good green wood\nThe buck but an the rae,\nAn they drew near Brown Robin\u2019s bowr,\nAbout the close of day.\n103A.41 Then out it spake the king in hast,\nSays, Arthur, look an see\nGin that be no your little foot-page\nThat leans against yon tree.\n103A.42 n Arthur took his bugle-horn,\nAn blew a blast sae shrill;\nSweet Willy started at the sound,\nAn ran him quickly till.\n103A.43 \u2018O wanted ye your meat, Willy?\nOr wanted ye your fee?\nOr gat ye ever an angry word,\nThat ye ran awa frae me?\u2019\n103A.44 \u2018I wanted nought, my master dear;\nTo me ye ay was good;\nI came but to see my ae brother,\nThat wons in this green wood.\u2019\n103A.45 Then out it spake the king again,\nSays, Bonny boy, tell to me\nWha lives into yon bigly bowr,\nStands by yon green oak tree?\n103A.46 \u2018O pardon me,\u2019 says Sweet Willy,\n\u2018My liege, I dare no tell;\nAn I pray you go no near that bowr,\nFor fear they do you fell.\u2019\n103A.47 \u2018O haud your tongue, my bonny boy,\nFor I winna be said nay;\nBut I will gang that bowr within,\nBetide me weel or wae.\u2019\n103A.48 They\u2019ve lighted off their milk-white steeds,\nAn saftly enterd in,\nAn there they saw her White Lilly,\nNursing her bonny yong son.\n103A.49 \u2018Now, by the rood,\u2019 the king coud say,\n\u2018This is a comely sight;\nI trow, instead of a forrester\u2019s man,\nThis is a lady bright!\u2019\n103A.50 Then out it spake her Rose the Red,\nAn fell low down on her knee:\nO pardon us, my gracious liege,\nAn our story I\u2019ll tell thee.\n103A.51 Our father was a wealthy lord,\nThat wond in Barnsdale;\nBut we had a wicked step-mother,\nThat wrought us meickle bale.\n103A.52 Yet she had twa as fu fair sons\nAs ever the sun did see,\nAn the tane o them lood my sister dear,\nAn the tither sayd he lood me.\n103A.53 Then out it spake him Bold Arthur,\nAs by the king he stood:\nNow, by the faith o my body,\nThis shoud be Rose the Red!\n103A.54 Then in it came him Brown Robin,\nFrae hunting o the deer,\nBut whan he saw the king was there,\nHe started back for fear.\n103A.55 The king has taen him by the hand,\nAn bade him naithing dread;\nSays, Ye maun leave the good green wood,\nCome to the court wi speed.\n103A.56 Then up he took White Lilly\u2019s son,\nAn set him on his knee;\nSays, Gin ye live to wiald a bran,\nMy bowman ye sall bee.\n103A.57 The king he sent for robes of green,\nAn girdles o shinning gold;\nHe gart the ladies be arrayd\nMost comely to behold.\n103A.58 They\u2019ve done them unto Mary Kirk,\nAn there gat fair wedding,\nAn fan the news spread oer the lan,\nFor joy the bells did ring.\n103A.59 Then out it spake her Rose the Red,\nAn a hearty laugh laugh she:\nI wonder what would our step-dame say,\nGin she this sight did see!\n103B: Rose the Red and White Lily\n103B.1 NOW word is gane thro a\u2019 the land,\nGude seal that it sae spread!\nTo Rose the Red and White Lillie,\nTheir mither dear was dead.\n103B.2 Their father\u2019s married a bauld woman,\nAnd brought her ower the sea,\nTwa sprightly youths, her ain young sons,\nIntill her companie.\n103B.3 They fixd their eyes on those ladies,\nOn shipboard as they stood,\nAnd sware, if ever they wan to land,\nThese ladies they woud wed.\n103B.4 But there was nae a quarter past,\nA quarter past but three,\nTill these young luvers a\u2019 were fond\nO other\u2019s companie.\n103B.5 The knights they harped i their bower,\nThe ladies sewd and sang;\nThere was mair mirth in that chamer\nThan a\u2019 their father\u2019s lan.\n103B.6 Then out it spak their step-mither,\nAt the stair-foot stood she:\nI\u2019m plagued wi your troublesome noise!\nWhat makes your melodie?\n103B.7 O Rose the Red, ye sing too loud,\nWhite Lillie, your voice is strang;\nBut gin I live and brook my life,\nI\u2019se gar you change your sang.\n103B.8 \u2018We maunna change our loud, loud song\nFor nae duke\u2019s son ye\u2019ll bear;\nWe winna chnage our loud, loud song,\nBut aye we\u2019ll sing the mair.\n103B.9 \u2018We never sung the sang, mither,\nBut we\u2019ll sing ower again;\nWe\u2019ll take our harps into our hands,\nAnd we\u2019ll harp, and we\u2019ll sing.\u2019\n103B.10 She\u2019s calld upon her twa young sons,\nSays, Boun ye for the sea;\nLet Rose the Red and White Lillie\nStay in their bower wi me.\n103B.11 \u2018O God forbid,\u2019 said her eldest son,\n\u2018Nor lat it ever be,\nUnless ye were as kind to our luves\nAs gin we were them wi.\u2019\n103B.12 \u2018Yet never the less, my pretty sons,\nYe\u2019ll boun you for the faem;\nLet Rose the Red and White Lillie\nStay in their bowers at hame.\u2019\n103B.13 \u2018O when wi you we came alang,\nWe felt the stormy sea,\nAnd where we go, ye neer shall know,\nNor shall be known by thee.\u2019\n103B.14 Then wi her harsh and boisterous word\nShe forc\u2019d these lads away,\nWhile Rose the Red and White Lillie\nStill in their bowers did stay.\n103B.15 But there was not a quarter past,\nA quarter past but ane,\nTill Rose the Red in rags she gaed,\nWhite Lillie\u2019s claithing grew thin.\n103B.16 Wi bitter usage every day,\nThe ladies they thought lang;\n\u2018Ohon, alas!\u2019 said Rose the Red,\n\u2018She\u2019s gard us change our sang.\n103B.17 \u2018But we will change our own fu names,\nAnd we\u2019ll gang frae the town,\nFrae Rose the Red and White Lillie\nTo Nicholas and Roger Brown.\n103B.18 \u2018And we will cut our green claithing\nA little aboon our knee,\nAnd we will on to gude greenwood,\nTwa bauld bowmen to be.\u2019\n103B.19 \u2018Ohon, alas!\u2019 said White Lillie,\n\u2018My fingers are but sma,\nAnd tho my hands woud wield the bow,\nThey winna yield at a\u2019.\u2019\n103B.20 \u2018O had your tongue now, White Lillie,\nAnd lat these fears a\u2019 be;\nThere\u2019s naething that ye\u2019re awkward in\nBut I will learn thee.\u2019\n103B.21 Then they are on to gude greenwood,\nAs fast as gang coud they;\nO then they spied him Robin Hood,\nBelow a green aik tree.\n103B.22 \u2018Gude day, gude day, kind sir,\u2019 they said,\n\u2018God make you safe and free:\u2019\n\u2018Gude day, gude day,\u2019 said Robin Hood,\n\u2018What is your wills wi me?\u2019\n103B.23 \u2018Lo here we are, twa banishd knights,\nCome frae our native hame;\nWe\u2019re come to crave o thee service,\nOur king will gie us nane.\u2019\n103B.24 \u2018If ye be twa young banishd knights,\nTell me frae what countrie:\u2019\n\u2018Frae Anster town into Fifeshire;\nYe know it as well as we.\u2019\n103B.25 \u2018If a\u2019 be true that ye hae said,\nAnd tauld just now to me,\nYe\u2019re welcome, welcome, every one;\nYour master I will be.\n103B.26 \u2018Now ye shall eat as I do eat,\nAnd lye as I do lye;\nYe salna wear nae waur claithing\nNor my young men and I.\u2019\n103B.27 Then they went to a ruinous house,\nAnd there they enterd in,\nAnd Nicholas fed wi Robin Hood,\nAnd Roger wi Little John.\n103B.28 But it fell ance upon a day\nThey were at the putting-stane,\nWhan Rose the Red she viewd them a\u2019,\nAs they stood on the green.\n103B.29 She hit the stane then wi her foot,\nAnd kepd it wi her knee,\nAnd spaces three aboon them a\u2019\nI wyte she gard it flee.\n103B.30 She sat her back then to a tree,\nAnd gae a loud Ohon!\nA lad spak in the companie,\nI hear a woman\u2019s moan.\n103B.31 \u2018How know you that, young man?\u2019 she said,\n\u2018How know you that o me?\nDid eer ye see me in that place\nAe foot my ground to flee?\n103B.32 \u2018Or know ye by my cherry cheeks?\nOr by my yellow hair?\nOr by the paps on my breast-bane?\nYe never saw them bare.\u2019\n103B.33 \u2018I know not by your cherry cheeks,\nNor by your yellow hair;\nBut I know by your milk-white chin,\nOn it there grows nae hair.\n103B.34 \u2018I never saw you in that cause\nAe foot your ground to flee;\nI\u2019ve seen you stan wi sword in han\nMang men\u2019s blood to the knee.\n103B.35 \u2018But if I come your bower within,\nBy night, or yet by day,\nI shall know before I go\nIf ye be man or may.\u2019\n103B.36 \u2018O if you come my bower within,\nBy night, or yet by day,\nAs soon\u2019s I draw my trusty brand,\nNae lang ye\u2019ll wi me stay.\u2019\n103B.37 But he is haunted to her bower,\nHer bigly bower o stane,\nTill he has got her big wi bairn,\nAnd near sax months she\u2019s gane.\n103B.38 Whan three mair months were come and gane,\nThey gaed to hunt the hynde;\nShe wont to be the foremost ane,\nBut now stayd far behynd.\n103B.39 Her luver looks her in the face,\nAnd thus to her said he;\nI think your cheeks are pale and wan;\nPray, what gaes warst wi thee?\n103B.40 O want ye roses to your breast?\nOr ribbons to your sheen?\nOr want ye as muckle o dear bought luve\nAs your heart can conteen?\n103B.41 \u2018I want nae roses to my breast,\nNae ribbons to my sheen;\nNor want I as muckle dear bought luve\nAs my heart can conteen.\n103B.42 \u2018I\u2019d rather hae a fire behynd,\nAnither me before,\nA gude midwife at my right side,\nTill my young babe be bore.\u2019\n103B.43 \u2018I\u2019ll kindle a fire wi a flint-stane,\nBring wine in a green horn;\nI\u2019ll be midwife at your right side,\nTill your young babe be born.\u2019\n103B.44 \u2018That was neer my mither\u2019s custom,\nForbid that it be mine!\nA knight stan by a lady bright\nWhan she drees a\u2019 her pine.\n103B.45 \u2018There is a knight in gude greenwood,\nIf that he kent o me,\nThro stock and stane and the hawthorn\nSae soon\u2019s he woud come me tee.\u2019\n103B.46 \u2018If there be a knight in gude greenwood\nYe like better than me,\nIf ance he come your bower within,\nAne o us twa shall dee.\u2019\n103B.47 She set a horn to her mouth,\nAnd she blew loud and shrill;\nThro stock and stane and the hawthorn\nBrave Roger came her till.\n103B.48 \u2018Wha\u2019s here sae bauld,\u2019 the youth replied,\n\u2018Thus to encroach on me?\u2019\n\u2018O here I am,\u2019 the knight replied,\n\u2018Hae as much right as thee.\u2019\n103B.49 Then they fought up the gude greenwood,\nSae did they down the plain;\nThey niddart ither wi lang braid-swords,\nTill they were bleedy men.\n103B.50 Then out it spak the sick woman,\nSat under the greenwood tree;\nO had your han, young man, she said,\nShe\u2019s a woman as well as me.\n103B.51 Then out it speaks anither youth,\nAmang the companie;\nGin I had kent what I ken now,\n\u2019Tis for her I woud dee.\n103B.52 \u2018O wae mat worth you, Rose the Red,\nAn ill death mat ye dee!\nAltho ye tauld upo yoursell,\nYe might hae heald on me.\u2019\n103B.53 \u2018O for her sake I was content\nFor to gae ower the sea;\nFor her I left my mither\u2019s ha,\nTho she proves fause to me.\u2019\n103B.54 But whan these luvers were made known,\nThey sung right joyfullie,\nNae blyther was the nightingale,\nNor bird that sat on tree.\n103B.55 Now they hae married these ladies,\nBrought them to bower and ha;\nAnd now a happy life they lead;\nI wish sae may we a\u2019.\n103C: Rose the Red and White Lily\n103C.1 THE king has wedded an ill woman,\nInto some foreign land;\nHis daughters twa, that stood in awe,\nThey bravely sat and sang.\n103C.2 Then in became their step-mother,\nSae stately steppin ben:\n\u2018O gin I live and bruik my life,\nI\u2019ll gar ye change your tune.\u2019\n103C.3 \u2018O we sang neer that sang, ladie,\nBut we will sing again;\n?? \u2018O we sang neer that sang, ladie,\nBut we will sing again;\n?? \u2018O we sang neer that sang, ladie,\nBut we will sing again;\n?? \u2018O we sang neer that sang, ladie,\nBut we will sing again;\nAnd ye neer boor that son, ladie,\nBut we will sing again;\nAnd ye neer boor that son, ladie,\nWe wad lay our love on.\n103C.4 \u2018But we will cow our yellow locks\nA little abune our bree,\nAnd we will on to gude greenwud,\nAnd serve for meat and fee.\n103C.5 \u2018And we will kilt our gay claithing\nA little below the knee,\nAnd we will on to gude greenwud,\nGif Robin Hood we see.\nAnd we will on to gude greenwud,\nGif Robin Hood we see.\nAnd we will on to gude greenwud,\nGif Robin Hood we see.\nAnd we will on to gude greenwud,\nGif Robin Hood we see.\n103C.6 \u2018And we will change our ain twa names,\nWhen we gae frae the toun;\nThe tane we will call Nicholas,\nThe tither Rogee Roun.\u2019\n103C.7 Then they hae cowd their yellow locks\nA little abune their bree,\nAnd they are on to gude greenwud,\nTo serve for meat and fee.\n103C.8 And they hae kilt their gay claithing\nA little below their knee,\nAnd they are on to gud greenwud,\nGif Robin Hood they see.\n103C.9 And they hae chang\u2019d thair ain twa names,\nWhan they gaed frae the toun;\nThe tane they\u2019ve called Nicholas,\nThe tither Rogee Roun.\n103C.10 And they hae staid in gude greenwud,\nAnd never a day thoucht lang,\nTill it fell ance upon a day\nThat Rogee sang a sang.\n103C.11 \u2018Whan we were in our father\u2019s bouer,\nWe sewd the silken seam;\nBut now we walk the gude greenwud,\nAnd bear anither name.\n103C.12 \u2018When we were in our father\u2019s ha,\nWe wore the beaten gold;\nBut now we wear the shield sae sharp;\nAlas, we\u2019ll die with cold!\u2019\n103C.13 Then up bespak him Robin Hood,\nAs he to them drew near:\n\u2018Instead of boys to carry the bow,\nTwo ladies we\u2019ve got here.\u2019\n103C.14 So they had not been in gud greenwud\nA twalmonth and a day,\nTill Rogee Roun was as big wi bairn\nAs onie lady could gae.\n103C.15 \u2018O wae be to my stepmother,\nThat garrd me leave my hame!\nFor I\u2019m wi bairn to Robin Hood,\nAnd near nine month is gane.\n103C.16 \u2018O wha will be my bouer-woman?\nNa bouer-woman is here;\nO wha will be my bouer-woman,\nWhan that sad time draws near?\u2019\n103C.17 Then up bespak him Robin Hood,\nAt the foot o yon greenwud tree:\nO hold your tongue, fair Rogee Roun,\nFor married ye sall be.\n103C.18 The tane was wedded to Robin Hood,\nAnd the tither to Little John;\nAnd it was a\u2019 owing to their stepmother,\nThat garrd them leave their hame.","title":"The Child Ballads: 103. Rose the Red and White Lily","type":"page"}