{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch192.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch192.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch192.htm","text":"192A.1 HEARD ye eer of the silly blind harper,\nThat long livd in Lochmaben town,\nHow he wad gang to fair England,\nTo steal King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown?\nSing, Faden dilly and faden dilly\nSing, Faden dilly and deedle dan\n192A.2 But first he gaed to his gude wife,\nWi a\u2019 the speed that he coud thole;\n\u2018This wark,\u2019 quo he, \u2019will never work\nWithout a mare that has a foal.\u2019\n192A.3 Quo she, Thou has a gude gray mare,\nThat\u2019al rin oer hills baith law and hie;\nGae tak the gray mare in thy hand,\nAnd leave the foal at hame wi me.\n192A.4 \u2018And tak a halter in thy hose,\nAnd o thy purpose dinna fail;\nBut wap it oer the Wanton\u2019s nose,\nAnd tie her to the gray mare\u2019s tail.\n192A.5 \u2018Syne ca her out at yon back geate,\nOer moss and muir and ilka dale;\nFor she\u2019ll neer let the Wanton bite\nTill she come hame to her ain foal.\u2019\n192A.6 So he is up to England gane,\nEven as fast as he can hie,\nTill he came to King Henry\u2019s geate;\nAnd wha was there but King Henry?\n192A.7 \u2018Come in,\u2019 quo he, \u2019Thou silly blind harper,\nAnd of thy harping let me hear;\u2019\n\u2018O, by my sooth,\u2019 quo the silly blind harper,\n\u2018I\u2019d rather hae stabling for my mare.\u2019\n192A.8 The king he looks oer his left shoulder,\nAnd says unto his stable-groom,\nGae tak the silly poor harper\u2019s mare,\nAnd tie her side my Wanton Brown.\n192A.9 And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,\nTill a\u2019 the lords had fitted the floor;\nThey thought the music was sae sweet,\nAnd they forgot the stable-door.\n192A.10 And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,\nTill a\u2019 the nobles were sound asleep;\nThan quietly he took aff his shoon,\nAnd safly down the stair did creep.\n192A.11 Syne to the stable-door he hies,\nWi tread as light as light coud be,\nAnd when he opned and gaed in,\nThere he fand thirty gude steads and three.\n192A.12 He took the halter frae his hose,\nAnd of his purpose did na fail;\nHe slipt it oer the Wanton\u2019s nose,\nAnd tied it to his gray mare\u2019s tail.\n192A.13 He ca\u2019d her out at yon back geate,\nOer moss and muir and ilka dale,\nAnd she loot neer the Wanton bite,\nBut held her still gaun at her tail.\n192A.14 The gray mare was right swift o fit,\nAnd did na fail to find the way,\nFor she was at Lochmaben geate\nFu lang three hours ere \u2019twas day.\n192A.15 When she came to the harper\u2019s door,\nThere she gave mony a nicher and sneer;\n\u2018Rise,\u2019 quo the wife, \u2019Thou lazey lass,\nLet in thy master and his mare.\u2019\n192A.16 Then up she rose, pat on her claes,\nAnd lookit out through the lock-hole;\n\u2018O, by my sooth,\u2019 then quoth the lass,\n\u2018Our mare has gotten a braw big foal!\u2019\n192A.17 \u2018Come had thy peace, thou foolish lass,\nThe moon\u2019s but glancing in thy eye;\nI\u2019ll wad my hail fee against a groat,\nIt\u2019s bigger than eer our foal will be.\u2019\n192A.18 The neighbours too that heard the noise\nCried to the wife to put hir in;\n\u2018By my sooth,\u2019 then quo the wife,\n\u2018She\u2019s better than ever he rade on.\u2019\n192A.19 But on the morn, at fair day light,\nWhen they had ended a\u2019 thier chear,\nKing Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown was stawn,\nAnd eke the poor old harper\u2019s mare.\n192A.20 \u2018Allace! allace!\u2019 says the silly blind harper,\n\u2018Allace, allace, that I came here!\nIn Scotland I\u2019ve tint a braw cowte-foal,\nIn England they\u2019ve stawn my gude gray mare.\u2019\n192A.21 \u2018Come had thy tongue, thou silly blind harper,\nAnd of thy allacing let me be;\nFor thou shalt get a better mare,\nAnd weel paid shall thy cowte-foal be.\u2019\n192B: The Lochmaben Harper\n192B.1 HARD ye tell of the silly blind harper?\nLong he lived in Lochmaben town;\nHe\u2019s away to fair Carlisle,\nTo steal King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown.\nSing, Fadle didle dodle didle\nSing, Fadle didle fadle doo\n192B.2 He has mounted his auld gray mare,\nAnd ridden oer both hills and mire,\nTill he came to fair Carlisle town,\nAnd askd for stabling to his mare.\n192B.3 \u2018Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,\n\u2018Some of thy harping let us hear;\u2019\n\u2018By my sooth,\u2019 says the silly blind harper,\n\u2018I would rather hae stabling to my mare.\u2019\n192B.4 The king looked oer his left shoulder\nAnd called to his stable-groom:\n\u2018Gae stable up the harper\u2019s mare,\nAnd just beyond the Wanton Brown.\u2019\n192B.5 Ay he carped, and ay he harped,\nTill a\u2019 the lords gaed thro the floor;\nBut and the musick was sae sweet\nThe groom forgot the key o the stable-door.\n192B.6 Ay he harped, and ay he carped,\nTill a\u2019 the lords fell fast asleep,\nAnd, like a fause deceiver as he was,\nHe quickly down the stair did creep.\n192B.7 He pulld a colt-halter out o his hoe,\nOn purpose as I shall to you tell;\nHe sliped it oer the Wanton\u2019s nose,\nAnd tyed it to his gray mare\u2019s tail.\n192B.8 \u2018My blessing light upon my wife!\nI think she be a daily flower;\nShe told me to ken my ain gray mare\nWhen eer I felt her by the ewer.\u2019\n192B.9 \u2018Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,\nSome of thy harping let us hear:\u2019\n\u2018Oh and alas!\u2019 says the silly blind harper,\n\u2018Oh and alas that eer I came here!\n192B.10 \u2018For in Scotland I lost a good brown foal,\nAnd in England a good gray mare,\n. . . . .\n. . . . .\n192B.11 \u2018Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,\nSome of thy harping let us hear,\nAnd thy brown foal shall be well payed,\nAnd thou\u2019s hae a far better gray mare.\u2019\n192B.12 Ay he harped, and ay he carped,\nAnd some of his harping he let them hear,\nAnd his brown foal it was well payed,\nAnd he got a better gray mare.\n192B.13 His mare\u2019s away to Lochmaben,\nWi mony a nicker and mony a sneer;\nHis wife cry\u2019s, Rise up, you lazy lass,\nLet in your master and his mare.\n192B.14 The lazy lass was loth to rise;\nShe looked through a little hole;\n\u2018By my troth,\u2019 crys the lazy lass,\n\u2018Our mare has brought a bonie foal.\u2019\n192B.15 \u2018Rise up, rise up, thou lazy lass,\nAnd, een as the sun it shines sae clear,\nI\u2019ll wager my life against a groat\nThe foal was better than ever the mare.\u2019\n192C: The Lochmaben Harper\n192C.1 ITRR\u2019rrS hae ye heard tell o the auld harper\nThat lang lived in Lochmaben town,\nHow he maun awa to England fair,\nTo steal King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown?\nFaw aiden diden an diden an diden\nFaw aiden diden faw aiden dee\n192C.2 Out then bespak his gude auld wife,\nI wat she spak out very wiselie;\n\u2018Ye\u2019ll ride the mear to England fair,\nBut the foal ye\u2019ll leave at hame wi me.\n192C.3 \u2018Ye\u2019ll hide your halter in o your hose,\nAnd o your purpose ye\u2019ll no fail;\nYe\u2019ll cast a hook on the Wanton\u2019s nose,\nAnd tie him to the gray mear\u2019s tail.\n192C.4 \u2018Ye\u2019ll lead them awa by a back yett,\nAnd hound them out at a wee hole;\nThe mear she\u2019ll neer [let] the Wanton bait\nTill hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.\u2019\n192C.5 Awa then rade the auld harper,\nI wat he rade right merrilie,\nUntil he cam to England fair,\nWhere wonned the gude King Henerie.\n192C.6 \u2018Light down, light down, ye auld harper,\nAnd some o your harping let me hear;\n\u2018O williwa!\u2019 quo the auld harper,\nWill I get stabling for my mear?\u2019\n* * * * *\n192C.7 And aye he harped and he carped,\nTill a\u2019 the lordlings fell asleep;\nSyne bundled his fiddles upon his back,\nAnd down the stairs fu fast did creep.\n192C.8 He\u2019s taen the halter out o his hose,\nAnd o his purpose he didna fail;\nHe\u2019s cast a hook on the Wanton\u2019s nose,\nAnd tied him to the gray mear\u2019s tale.\n192C.9 He\u2019s led them awa by the back yett,\nAnd hounded them out at a wee hole;\nThe mear she neer let the Wanton bait\nTill hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.\n192C.10 And when they cam to the house-end,\nWi mony a nicker but an a neigh,\nThey waukend the auld wife out o her sleep;\nShe was a-dreaming she was fouie.\n192C.11 \u2018Rise up, rise up, my servant-lass,\nLet in your master and his mear;\u2019\n\u2018It\u2019s by my sooth,\u2019 the wee lassie goud say,\n\u2018I\u2019m in a sleeping drowsy air.\u2019\n192C.12 Wi mony a graunt she turned her round,\nAnd keekit through at a wee hole;\n\u2018It\u2019s by my sooth!\u2019 the wee lassie goud say,\n\u2018Our mear has gotten a braw brown foal!\u2019\n192C.13 Lie still, lie still, ye lazy lass,\nIt\u2019s but the moon shines in your ee;\u2019\n\u2018Na, by my sooth,\u2019 the lassie goud say,\n\u2018And he\u2019s bigger than ony o his degree.\u2019\n192C.14 Then lightly rose the gude auld wife,\nI wat the first up in a\u2019 the town;\nShe took the grit oats intil her lap\nAnd fodderd King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown.\n192C.15 King Henry\u2019s groom rase in the morn,\nAnd he was of a sorry cheer:\n\u2018King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown\u2019s awa,\nAnd sae is the silly auld harper\u2019s mear!\u2019\n192C.16 Up then rase the auld harper,\nAnd loudly he did curse and swear:\n\u2018In Scotland they but steald my foal,\nIn England ye hae steald my mear!\u2019\n192C.17 \u2018It\u2019s haud your tongue,\"] King Henry did say,\n\u2018Ye\u2019ll hae nae cause to curse or swear;\nHere\u2019s thirty guineas for your foal,\nAnd three times thirty for your mear.\u2019\n192D: The Lochmaben Harper\n192D.1 THERE was a poor silly harper-man,\nAnd he lived in Lochmaben toon,\nAnd he has wagered wi lairds and lords,\nAnd mony a guinea against a croon.\nTum tid iddly\nDodaly diddely\nTidaly diddaly\nDodaly dan\n192D.2 And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,\nAnd mony a guinea against a croon,\nThat into England he would go.\nAnd steal King Henerie\u2019s Wanton Broun.\n192D.3 Out spak the silly poor harper\u2019s wife,\nAnd O but she spak wililie:\n\u2018If into England you do go,\nLeave the wee-wee foal wi me.\u2019\n192D.4 The harper he got on to ride,\nAnd O but he rode richt highlie!\nThe very first man that he did meet,\nThey said it was King Henerie.\n192D.5 \u2018Licht doon, licht doon, ye silly poor harper,\nAnd o your harping let me hear;\u2019\n\u2018And by my sooth,\u2019 quoth the silly poor harper,\n\u2018I\u2019d rather hae stabling for my mear.\u2019\n192D.6 O he lookit ower his left shoulder,\nAnd saw ane of the stable-grooms:\n\u2018Go take the sillie poor harper\u2019s mear,\nAnd stable her by my Wanton Brown.\u2019\n192D.7 And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,\nTill a\u2019 the nobles fell on the floor,\nAnd aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,\nTill they forgot the key of the stabel-door.\n192D.8 And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,\nTill a\u2019 the nobles fell fast asleep;\nHe has taen his harp upon his back,\nAnd doon the stair did softly creep.\n192D.9 He has taen a halter frae his hose,\nAnd o his purpose did not fail;\nHe coost a wap on Wanton\u2019s nose,\nAnd tyed her to his ain mear\u2019s tail.\n192D.10 He ca\u2019d her through at the bye-yett,\nThrough mony a syre and mony a hole;\nShe never loot Wanton licht till she\nWas at Lochmaben, at her foal.\n192D.11 And she came oer Lochmaben heights,\nWi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,\nAnd waukend the silly poor harper\u2019s wife,\nAs she was a sleeping at her ease.\n192D.12 \u2018Rise up, rise up, ye servant-lass,\nLet in the maister and the mear;\u2019\n\u2018By my sooth,\u2019 quoth the servant-lass,\n\u2018I think my maister be na here.\u2019\n192D.13 Up then rose the servant-lass,\nAnd lookit through a wee, wee hole;\n\u2018By my sooth,\u2019 quoth the servant-lass,\n\u2018Our mear has gotten a waly foal.\u2019\n192D.14 \u2018Ye clatter, ye clatter, ye servant-lass,\nIt is the moon shines in your ee;\u2019\n\u2018By my sooth,\u2019 quoth the servant-lass,\n\u2018It\u2019s mair than ever her ain will be.\u2019\n192D.15 It\u2019s whan the stable-groom awoke,\nPut a\u2019 the nobles in a fear;\nKing Henerie\u2019s Wanton Brown was stown,\nAnd Oh! the silly poor harper\u2019s mear.\n192D.16 Out then spak the silly poor harper,\nSays, Oh, this loos I douna thole!\nIn England fair a guid grey mear,\nIn fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.\n192D.17 \u2018Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,\nAnd wi your carping let me be;\nHere\u2019s ten pounds for your auld gray mear,\nAnd a weel paid foal it\u2019s be to thee!\u2019\n192D.18 And O the silly poor harper\u2019s wife,\nShe\u2019s aye first up in Lochmaben toun;\nShe\u2019s stealing the corn and stealing the hay,\nAnd wappin it oer to Wanton Broun.\n192E: The Lochmaben Harper\n192E.1 THERE was a jolly harper-man,\nThat harped aye frae toun to toun;\nA wager he made, with two knights he laid\nTo steal King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown.\n192E.2 Sir Roger he wagered five ploughs o land,\nSir Charles wagered five thousand pound,\nAnd John he\u2019s taen the deed in hand,\nTo steal King Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown.\n192E.3 He\u2019s taen his harp into his hand,\nAnd he gaed harping thro the toun,\nAnd as the king in his palace sat,\nHis ear was touched wi the soun.\n192E.4 \u2018Come in, come in, ye harper-man,\nSome o your harping let me hear;\u2019\n\u2018Indeed, my liege, and by your grace,\nI\u2019d rather hae stabling to my mare.\u2019\n192E.5 \u2018Ye\u2019ll gang to yon outer court,\nThat stands a little below the toun;\nYe\u2019ll find a stable snug and neat,\nWhere stands my stately Wanton Brown.\u2019\n192E.6 He\u2019s down him to the outer court,\nThat stood a little below the toun;\nThere found a stable snug and neat,\nFor stately stood the Wanton Brown.\n192E.7 Then he has fixd a good strong cord\nUnto his grey mare\u2019s bridle-rein,\nAnd tied it unto that steed\u2019s tail,\nSyne shut the stable-door behin.\n192E.8 Then he harped on, and he carped on,\nTill all were fast asleep;\nThen down thro bower and ha he\u2019s gone,\nEven on his hands and feet.\n192E.9 He\u2019s to yon stable snug and neat,\nThat lay a little below the toun;\nFor there he placed his ain grey mare,\nAlang wi Henry\u2019s Wanton Brown.\n192E.10 \u2018Ye\u2019ll do you down thro mire and moss,\nThro mony bog and lairy hole;\nBut never miss your Wanton slack;\nYe\u2019ll gang to Mayblane, to your foal.\u2019\n192E.11 As soon\u2019s the door he had unshut,\nThe mare gaed prancing frae the town,\nAn at her bridle-rein was tied\nHenry\u2019s statey Wanton Brown.\n192E.12 Then she did rin thro mire an moss,\nThro mony bog an miery hole;\nBut never missed her Wanton slack\nTill she reachd Mayblane, to her foal.\n192E.13 When the king awaked from sleep\nHe to the harper-man did say,\nO waken ye, waken ye, jolly John,\nWe\u2019ve fairly slept till it is day.\n192E.14 \u2018Win up, win up, ye harper-man,\nSome mair o harping ye\u2019ll gie me:\u2019\nHe said, My liege, wi a\u2019 my heart,\nBut first my gude grey mare maun see.\n192E.15 Then forth he ran, and in he came,\nDropping mony a feigned tear:\n\u2018Some rogue[s] hae broke the outer court,\nAn stown awa my gude grey mare.\u2019\n192E.16 \u2018Then by my sooth,\u2019 the king replied,\n\u2018If there\u2019s been rogues into the toun,\nI fear, as well as your grey mare,\nAwa is my stately Wanton Brown.\u2019\n192E.17 \u2018My loss is great,\u2019 the harper said,\n\u2018My loss is twice as great, I fear;\nIn Scotland I lost a gude grey steed,\nAn here I\u2019ve lost a gude grey mare.\u2019\n192E.18 \u2018Come on, come on, ye harper-man,\nSome o your music lat me hear;\nWell paid ye\u2019se be, John, for the same,\nAn likewise for your gude grey mare.\u2019\n192E.19 When that John his money received,\nThen he went harping frae the toun,\nBut little did King Henry ken\nHe\u2019d stown awa his Wanton Brown.\n192E.20 The knights then lay ower castle-wa,\nAn they beheld baith dale an down,\nAn saw the jolly harper-man\nCome harping on to Striveling toun.\n192E.21 Then, \u2018By my sooth,\u2019 Sir Roger said,\n\u2018Are ye returned back to toun?\nIdoubt my lad ye hae ill sped\nOf stealing o the Wanton Brown.\u2019\n192E.22 \u2018I hae been into fair England,\nAn even into Lunan toun,\nAn in King Henry\u2019s outer court,\nAn stown awa the Wanton Brown.\u2019\n192E.23 \u2018Ye lie, ye lie,\u2019 Sir Charles he said,\n\u2018An aye sae loud\u2019s I hear ye lie;\nTwall armed men, in armour bright,\nThey guard the stable night and day.\u2019\n192E.24 \u2018But I did harp them all asleep,\nAn managed my business cunninglie;\nIf ye make light o what I say,\nCome to my stable an ye\u2019ll see.\n192E.25 \u2018My music pleasd the king sae well\nMair o my harping he wishd to hear;\nAn for the same he paid me well,\nAnd also for my gude grey mare.\u2019\n192E.26 Then he drew out a gude lang purse,\nWell stored wi gowd an white monie,\nAn in a short time after this\nThe Wanton Brown he lat them see.\n192E.27 Sir Roger produced his ploughs o land,\nSir Charles produced his thousand pounds,\nThen back to Henry, the English king,\nRestored the stately Wanton Brown.","title":"The Child Ballads: 192. The Lochmaben Harper","type":"page"}