{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch236.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch236.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch236.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends & Sagas\u00a0\n England\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n \n 236A: The Laird o Drum\n \n \n 236A.1 O IT fell out upon a day,\n When Drums was going to ride, O\n And there he met with a well-far\u2019d may,\n Keeping her flocks on yon side. O\n 236A.2 \u2018O fair may, O rare may,\n Can not you fancy me?\n Of a\u2019 the lasses here about\n I like nane so well as thee.\u2019\n 236A.3 \u2018Set your love on another, kind sir,\n Set it not on me,\n For I\u2019m not fit to be your bride,\n And your whore I\u2019ll never be.\u2019\n 236A.4 Drums is to her father gane,\n Keeping his flocks on yon hill,\n And he has gotten his consent,\n And the maid was at his will.\n 236A.5 \u2018My daughter can neither read nor write,\n She was neer brought up at school;\n But well can she milk cow and ewe,\n And make a kebbuck well.\n 236A.6 \u2018She\u2019ll winn in your barn at bear-seed time,\n Cast out your muck at Yule;\n She\u2019ll saddle your steed in time o need,\n Draw aff your boots hersell.\u2019\n 236A.7 \u2018Have not I no clergymen?\n Pay I no clergy fee?\n I\u2019ll school her as I think fit,\n And as I think fit to be.\u2019\n 236A.8 Drums is to the Highlands gane\n For to be made ready,\n And a\u2019 the gentry thereabout\n Says, Yonder comes Drums and his lady.\n 236A.9 \u2018Peggy Coutts is a very bonnie bride,\n And Drums is a wealthy laddie;\n But Drums might hae chosen a higher match\n Than any shepherd\u2019s daughter.\u2019\n 236A.10 Then up bespake his brother John,\n Says, Brother you\u2019ve done us wrong;\n You\u2019ve married ane below our degree,\n A stain to a\u2019 our kin.\n 236A.11 \u2018Hold your tongue, my brother John,\n I have done you no wrong;\n For I\u2019ve married ane to wirk and win,\n And ye\u2019ve married ane to spend.\n 236A.12 \u2018The last time that I had a wife,\n She was above my degree;\n I durst not come in her presence\n But with my hat on my knee.\u2019\n 236A.13 There was four-and-twenty gentlemen\n Stood at the yetts o Drum;\n There was na ane amang them a\u2019\n That welcomd his lady in.\n 236A.14 He\u2019s taen her by the milk-white hand\n And led her in himsell,\n And in thro ha\u2019s and thro bowers,\n \u2018And you\u2019re welcome, Lady o Drum.\u2019\n 236A.15 Thrice he kissd her cherry cheek,\n And thrice her cherry chin,\n And twenty times her comely mouth,\n \u2018And you\u2019re welcome, Lady o Drum.\u2019\n 236A.16 \u2018Ye shall be cook in my kitchen,\n Butler in my ha;\n Ye shall be lady at my command\n When I ride far awa.\u2019\n 236A.17 \u2018But what will I do when auld Drum dies,\n When auld Drum dies and leaves me?\n Then I\u2019ll tak back my word again,\n And the Coutts will come and see me.\u2019\n * * * * *\n \n \n \n 236B: The Laird o Drum\n \n \n 236B.1 THERE was a knight, [an a gallant knight,]\n An a gallant knight was he,\n An he\u2019s faen in love\n Wi his shepherd\u2019s daghterie.\n 236B.2 . . . .\n He could neither gang nor ride,\n He fell so deep in her fancy,\n Till his nose began to bleed.\n 236B.3 \u2018Bonny may, an bra may,\n Canna ye on me rue?\n By a\u2019 the maid[s] I ever saw,\n There is nane I loo by you.\u2019\n 236B.4 \u2018Ye\u2019r a shepherd\u2019s ae daghter,\n An I\u2019m a barron\u2019s son;\n An what pleasure I wad hae\n To see ye gae out an in!\u2019\n 236B.5 \u2018I\u2019m a shepherd\u2019s ae dochter,\n An ye\u2019r a barron\u2019s son;\n An there is nae pleasure I could ha\n To see ye gae out or in.\n 236B.6 . . . .\n . . . .\n \u2018For I wadna gie the fancy of my bonny love\n For na love nor favour o you.\u2019\n 236B.7 \u2018Bonny may, an bra may,\n Canna ye on me rue?\n By a\u2019 the maids I ever saw\n There is nane I loo by you.\u2019\n 236B.8 \u2018Lay ne yer fancy, sir, on me,\u2019 she says,\n \u2018Lay na yer fancy on me;\n For I\u2019m our low to be your bride,\n An yer quine I\u2019ll never be.\n 236B.9 \u2018For I will wear nane o yer silks,\n Nor nane o yer scarlet claes;\n For the hue o the whin shall be my gown,\n An I will gae as I pleas.\u2019\n 236B.10 . . . .\n . . .\n \u2018Ye\u2019r na our laigh to be my bride,\n An my quine ye\u2019s never be.\n 236B.11 \u2018Bonny may, and bra may,\n Winna ye on me rue?\n By a\u2019 the maids I ever see,\n There\u2019s nane I loo but you.\u2019\n 236B.12 \u2018Gin ye ha faen so deep in my fancy\n Ye can neither gan[g] nor ride,\n Gae tak me to the middle o the ring,\n An bring me guid companie.\u2019\n 236B.13 He has taen her by the milk-white hand\n And led her thro haas an bowers:\n \u2018Ye\u2019r the chioce of my heart,\n An a\u2019 I hae is yours.\u2019\n 236B.14 He took her by the milk-white hand\n And led her out and in:\n \u2018Ye\u2019r the choice o my heart,\n My dear, ye\u2019r welcome in.\u2019\n 236B.15 Out spake his brither John,\n \u2018Brither, ye ha done great wrong;\n Ye hae married a wife this night\n Disdained by a\u2019 yer kin.\u2019\n 236B.16 \u2018Hold yer tong, my brither John,\n For I hae don na wrong;\n For I ha married a wife to . . . ,\n An ye ha ane to spend.\u2019\n \n \n \n 236C: The Laird o Drum\n \n \n 236C.1 THERE was a shepherd\u2019s daughter\n Sheering at the bear,\n And by cam the Laird o Drum,\n On an evening clear.\n 236C.2 \u2018O will ye fancy me, fair maid?\n O will ye fancy me?\n O will ye fancy me, fair maid,\n An lat the sheering be?\u2019\n 236C.3 \u2018O say na sae again, kind sir,\n O say na sae again;\n I\u2019m owr low to be your bride,\n Ye\u2019r born owr high a man.\u2019\n 236C.4 Said, Fair maid, O rare maid,\n Will ye on me rue?\n Amang a\u2019 the lasses o the land\n I fancy nane but you.\n 236C.5 \u2018Lay your love on another,\u2019 she said,\n \u2018And lay it not on me,\n For I\u2019m owr low to be your bride,\n Your miss I\u2019ll never be.\n 236C.6 \u2018Yonder is my father dear,\n Wi hogs upon yon hill;\n Gif ye get but his consent,\n I shall be at your will.\u2019\n 236C.7 He\u2019s taen him to her father dear,\n Keeps hogs upon yon hill,\n An he has gotten his consent,\n The may was at his will.\n 236C.8 \u2018My daughter canna read or write,\n She never was at school;\n Weel can she milk cow and ewe,\n An serve your house fu weel.\n 236C.9 \u2018Weel can she shack you barns\n And gae to mill an kill,\n Saddle your steed in time o need,\n And draw your boots hirsel.\n 236C.10 \u2018She canna wear your silk sae fine,\n Nor yet your silver clear;\n The hue o the ewe man be her weed,\n Altho she was your dear.\u2019\n 236C.11 He\u2019s wedded the shepherd\u2019s daughter,\n An he has taen her hame;\n He\u2019s wedded the shepherd\u2019s daughter,\n And led her on to Drum.\n 236C.12 There were four an twenty bold barons\n Stood at the yet o Drum;\n There was na ane amang them a\u2019\n That welcomd his lady hame.\n 236C.13 Out then spak his brother dear,\n Says, Ye\u2019v done mickel wrong;\n Ye\u2019v wedded a mean woman,\n The lack o a\u2019 her kin.\n 236C.14 \u2018I never did thee wrong, brother,\n I never did thee wrong;\n I\u2019ve wedded a woman to work and win,\n An ye hae ane to spen.\n 236C.15 \u2018The last woman I wedded\n Was aboon my degree;\n I could na sit in her presence\n But wi hat upon my knee.\u2019\n 236C.16 He\u2019s taen her by the milk-white hand\n An led her but an ben,\n An in the ha, amang them a\u2019,\n He\u2019s hailed her Lady Drum.\n 236C.17 \u2018Now I\u2019ve wedded the Shepherd\u2019s daughter,\n An I hae brought her hame,\n In the ha, amang ye a\u2019,\n She is welcome hame to Drum.\u2019\n \n \n \n 236D: The Laird o Drum\n \n \n 236D.1 THE laird o Drum is a hunting gane,\n All in a morning early,\n And he did spy a well-far\u2019d may,\n Was shearing at her barley.\n 236D.2 \u2018O will ye fancy me, fair may,\n And let your shearing be, O\n And gang and be the lady o Drum?\n O will ye fancy me?\u2019 O\n 236D.3 \u2018I winna fancy you,\u2019 she says,\n \u2018Nor let my shearing be;\n For I\u2019m ower low to be Lady Drum,\n And your miss I\u2019d scorn to be.\u2019\n 236D.4 \u2018But ye\u2019ll cast aff that gown o grey,\n Put on the silk and scarlet;\n I\u2019ll make a vow, and keep it true,\n You\u2019ll neither be miss nor harlot.\u2019\n 236D.5 \u2018Then dee you to my father dear,\n Keeps sheep on yonder hill;\n To ony thing he bids me do\n I\u2019m always at his will.\u2019\n 236D.6 He has gane to her father dear,\n Keeps sheep on yonder hill:\n \u2018I\u2019m come to marry your ae daughter,\n If ye\u2019ll gie me your gude will.\u2019\n 236D.7 \u2018She\u2019ll shake your barn, and winna your corn,\n And gang to mill and kill;\n In time of need she\u2019ll saddle your steed;\n And I\u2019ll draw your boots mysell.\u2019\n 236D.8 \u2018O wha will bake my bridal bread,\n And wha will brew my ale,\n And wha will welcome my lady hame,\n It\u2019s mair than I can tell.\u2019\n 236D.9 Four and twenty gentle knights\n Gied in at the yetts o Drum;\n But nae a man lifted his hat\n Whan the lady o Drum came in.\n 236D.10 But he has taen her by the hand,\n And led her but and ben;\n Says, You\u2019r welcome hame, my lady Drum,\n For this is your ain land.\n 236D.11 For he has taen her by the hand,\n And led her thro the ha;\n Says, You\u2019r welcome hame, my lady Drum,\n To your bowers ane and a\u2019.\n 236D.12 Then he[\u2019s] stript her o the robes o grey,\n Drest her in the robes o gold,\n And taen her father the sheep-keeping,\n Made him a bailie bold.\n 236D.13 She wasna forty weeks his wife\n Till she brought hame a son;\n She was as well a loved lady\n As ever was in Drum.\n 236D.14 Out it speaks his brother dear,\n Says, You\u2019ve dune us great wrang;\n You\u2019ve married a wife below your degree,\n She\u2019s a mock to all our kin.\n 236D.15 Out then spake the Laird of Drum,\n Says, I\u2019ve dune you nae wrang;\n I\u2019ve married a wife to win my bread,\n You\u2019ve married ane to spend.\n 236D.16 \u2018For the last time that I was married,\n She was far abeen my degree;\n She wadna gang to the bonny yetts o Drum\n But the pearlin abeen her ee,\n And I durstna gang in the room where she was\n But my hat below my knee.\u2019\n 236D.17 When they had eaten and well drunken,\n And all men bound for bed,\n The Laird o Drum and his lady gay\n In ae bed they were laid.\n 236D.18 \u2018Gin ye had been o high renown,\n As ye are o low degree,\n We might hae baith gane down the streets\n Amang gude companie.\u2019\n 236D.19 \u2018I tauld you ere we were wed\n You were far abeen my degree;\n But now I\u2019m married, in your bed laid,\n And just as gude as ye.\n 236D.20 \u2018Gin ye were dead, and I were dead,\n And baith in grave had lain,\n Ere seven years were at an end,\n They\u2019d not ken your dust frae mine.\u2019\n \n \n \n 236E: The Laird o Drum\n \n \n 236E.1 THE Laird of Drum is a wooing gane,\n All in a morning early,\n And there he spied a weel-far\u2019d may,\n She was shearing at her barley.\n 236E.2 \u2018Will you fancy me, my bonny may,\n And will you fancy me? O\n And will you come and be Lady Drum,\n And let your shearing a be?\u2019 O\n 236E.3 \u2018It\u2019s I winna fancy you, kind sir,\n I winna fancy thee;\n For I\u2019m too low to be lady o Drum,\n And your whore I would scorn to be.\u2019\n 236E.4 Ye\u2019ll cast aff the robes of gray,\n And put on the silk and the scarlet,\n And here to you I\u2019ll make a vow\n Ye\u2019se neither be whore nor harlot.\u2019\n 236E.5 \u2018I winna cast aff the robes o gray,\n To put on the silk and the scarlet,\n But I\u2019ll wear the colour of the ewe,\n For they set me better that a\u2019 that.\n 236E.6 \u2018But ye\u2019ll do you doun to my father dear,\n Keeping sheep on yonder hill,\n And the first ae thing that he bids me I\u2019ll do,\n For I wirk aye at his will.\u2019\n 236E.7 He\u2019s done him doun to her father dear,\n Keeping sheep on yonder hill:\n \u2018Ye hae a pretty creature for your daughter;\n Dear me! but I like her well.\u2019\n 236E.8 \u2018It\u2019s she can neither read nor write,\n She was never brought up at the squeel;\n She canna wash your china cups,\n Nor yet mak a dish o tea.\n 236E.9 \u2018But well can she do a\u2019 ither thing,\n For I learnt the girly mysell;\n She\u2019ll fill in your barn, and winnow your corn,\n She\u2019ll gang to your kill and your mill,\n And, time o need, she\u2019ll saddle your steed,\n And draw your boots hersell.\u2019\n 236E.10 \u2018Wha will bake my bridal bread,\n And wah will brew my ale?\n Wha will welcome my lady in?\n For it\u2019s more than I can tell.\u2019\n 236E.11 There was four-and-twenty gentlemen\n Stood a\u2019 in the yetts o Drum,\n But there was nane o them lifted their hats\n To welcome the young lady in.\n 236E.12 But up spake his ae brither,\n Says, Brither, ye hae done wrang;\n Ye have married a wife this day\n A lauch to a\u2019 our kin.\n 236E.13 \u2018I\u2019ve married ane to win my bread,\n But ye married ane to spend;\n But as lang\u2019s I\u2019m able to walk to the yetts o Drum\n On me she may depend.\n 236E.14 \u2018The last lady that I did wed\n Was far above my command;\n I durst not enter the bower where she was\n But my hat low in my hand.\u2019\n 236E.15 When bells were rung, and mass was sung,\n And a\u2019 man bound for bed,\n The Laird o Drum and the Shepherd\u2019s dother\n In one bed they were laid.\n 236E.16 \u2018If ye were come o noble bleed\n An were as high as me,\n We could gang to the yetts o Drum\n Amangst gueed companie.\u2019\n 236E.17 \u2018I tald you ere we was wed\n I was oer low for thee,\n But now we are wedd and in ae bed laid,\n And you must be content wi me.\n 236E.18 \u2018For an ye were dead, an I were dead,\n And laid in the dust low down,\n When we were baith turnd up again\n Wha could ken your mould frae mine?\u2019\n \n \n \n 236F: The Laird o Drum\n \n \n 236F.1 \u2018OH, will ye fancy me, fair maid?\n Oh, will ye fancy me? O\n Or will ye go to be ladye o the Drum,\n An let a\u2019 your shearin abe? O\n An let a\u2019 your shearin abe? O\n An let a\u2019 your shearin abe?\u2019 O\n 236F.2 \u2018I can neither read nor write,\n Nor neer been brocht up at schule;\n But I can do all other things,\n An keep a hoose richt weel.\n 236F.3 \u2018My faither he\u2019s a puir shepherd-man,\n Herds his hogs on yonder hill;\n Gin ye will go get his consent,\n Then I\u2019ll be at your call.\u2019\n 236F.4 He has gane to her father,\n That herds hogs on yonder hill;\n He said, \u2018You\u2019ve got a pretty daughter,\n I\u2019d fain tak her to my sel.\u2019\n 236F.5 \u2018She can neither read nor write,\n Was neer brocht up at schule;\n But she can do all other things,\n An I learnt aye the lassie my sel.\n 236F.6 \u2018She\u2019ll milk your cows, she\u2019ll carry your corn,\n She\u2019ll gang to the mill or the kiln;\n She\u2019ll saddle your steed at any time of need,\n And she\u2019ll brush up your boots hersel.\u2019\n 236F.7 \u2018It\u2019s who will bake my bridal bread?\n Or who will brew my ale?\n Or who will welcome this bonnie lassie in?\n For it\u2019s more than I can tell.\u2019\n 236F.8 There\u2019s four-and-twenty gentlemen\n Stand doun at the gate o the Drum;\n Not one of them all would take off his hat\n For to welcome the bonnie lassie in.\n 236F.9 . . . .\n . . . .\n \u2018Oh, brother, you\u2019ve married a wife this day\n A disgrace to all our kin.\u2019\n 236F.10 \u2018Oh, brother, I\u2019ve married a wife to win,\n And ye\u2019ve got one to spen,\n And as long as the bonnie lassie walks out and in\n She shall aye be the ladye o the Drum.\u2019\n 236F.11 When all was done, and no bells rung,\n And all men bound for their bed,\n The laird and the shepherd\u2019s bonnie daughter\n In one bed they were laid.\n 236F.12 \u2018Though I\u2019m not of as noble blood,\n Nor yet of as high degree,\n Now I lie locked in your arms two,\n And you must be contented wi me.\n 236F.13 \u2018If you were dead, and I were dead,\n And baith laid in one grave,\n If we were baith to be raised up again,\n Wha would ken your dust frae mine?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 237. The Duke of Gordon's Daughter","title":"The Child Ballads: 236. The Laird o Drum","type":"page"}