{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch281.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch281.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch281.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 281A: The Keach I the Creel\n \n \n 281A.1 A FAIR young may went up the street,\n Some white-fish for to buy,\n And a bonnie clerk\u2019s faen in love wi her,\n And he\u2019s followed her by and by, by,\n And he\u2019s followed her by and by.\n 281A.2 \u2018O where live ye, my bonnie lass,\n I pray thee tell to me;\n For gin the nicht were ever sae mirk\n I wad come and visit thee.\u2019\n 281A.3 \u2018O my father he aye locks the door,\n My mither keeps the key;\n And gin ye were ever sic a wily wight\n Ye canna win in to me.\u2019\n 281A.4 the clerk he had ae true brother,\n And a wily wight was he;\n And he has made a lang ladder,\n Was thirty steps and three.\n 281A.5 He has made a cleek but and a creel,\n A creel but and a pin;\n And he\u2019s away to the chimley-top,\n And he\u2019s letten the bonnie clerk in.\n 281A.6 The auld wife, being not asleep,\n Heard something that was said;\n \u2018I\u2019ll lay my life,\u2019 quo the silly auld wife,\n \u2018There\u2019s a man i our dochter\u2019s bed.\u2019\n 281A.7 The auld man he gat owre the bed,\n To see if the thing was true;\n But she\u2019s ta\u2019en the bonny clerk in her arms,\n And coverd him owre wi blue.\n 281A.8 \u2018O where are ye gaun now, father?\u2019 she says,\n \u2018And where are ye gaun sae late?\n Ye\u2019ve disturbd me in my evening prayers,\n And O but they were sweet!\u2019\n 281A.9 \u2018O ill betide ye, silly auld wife,\n And an ill death may ye die!\n She has the muckle buik in her arms,\n And she\u2019s prayin for you and me.\u2019\n 281A.10 The auld wife being not asleep,\n Then something mair was said;\n \u2018I\u2019ll lay my life,\u2019 quo the silly auld wife,\n \u2018There\u2019s a man i our dochter\u2019s bed.\u2019\n 281A.11 The auld wife she got owre the bed,\n To see if the thing was true;\n But what the wrack took the auld wife\u2019s fit?\n For into the creel she flew.\n 281A.12 The man that was at the chimley-top,\n Finding the creel was fu,\n He wrappit the rape round his left shouther,\n And fast to him he drew.\n 281A.13 \u2018O help! O help! O hinny, now, help!\n O help, O hinny, now!\n For him that ye aye wished me to\n He\u2019s carryin me off just now.\u2019\n 281A.14 \u2018O if the foul thief\u2019s gotten ye,\n I wish he may keep his haud;\n For a\u2019 the lee lang winter nicht\n Ye\u2019ll never lie in your bed.\u2019\n 281A.15 He\u2019s towed her up, he\u2019s towed her down,\n He\u2019s towed her through an through;\n \u2018O Gude assist!\u2019 quo the silly auld wife,\n \u2018For I\u2019m just departin now.\u2019\n 281A.16 He\u2019s towed her up, he\u2019s towed her down,\n He\u2019s gien her a richt down-fa,\n Till every rib i the auld wife\u2019s side\n Playd nick-nack on the wa.\n 281A.17 O the blue, the bonnie, bonnie blue,\n And I wish the blue may do weel!\n And every auld wife that\u2019s sae jealous o her dochter,\n May she get a good keach i the creel!\n \n \n \n 281B: The Keach I the Creel\n \n \n 281B.1 As bonnie may went up the street,\n Some sweetmeats for to buy,\n There was a young clerk followed after her,\n And followed her by and by, by,\n And followed her by and by.\n 281B.2 \u2018It\u2019s bonnie may, where do you stay?\n Or where is \u2019t that you be?\n Oh if the night be neer so dark,\n Awat I\u2019ll come and visit thee.\u2019\n 281B.3 \u2018My father locks the door at een,\n My mother keeps the key;\n Gin ye were neer sic a rovin blade,\n Ye canna win in to me.\u2019\n 281B.4 The young clerk has a young brither,\n And a wily wag was he;\n He\u2019s made to him a long ladder,\n Wi thirty steps and three.\n 281B.5 And he\u2019s put it to the chimney-top,\n And the creel he\u2019s put on a pin,\n And he\u2019s put it to the chimney-top,\n And he\u2019s let the young clerk in.\n 281B.6 The auld wife she was standing by,\n She heard a word was said;\n \u2018I could lay my life,\u2019 said the silly auld wife,\n \u2018There\u2019s a man in oor dochter\u2019s bed.\u2019\n 281B.7 The auld man he cam doun the stairs\n To see if it were true;\n The young clerk was lying in bonnie may\u2019s arms,\n And she\u2019s covered him oer wi blue.\n 281B.8 \u2018Where are you goin, dear father?\u2019 she says,\n \u2018Where are you going so late?\n You stopped me of my evening prayers,\n And oh, but they were sweet!\u2019\n 281B.9 \u2018The deil tak you, ye silly auld wife,\n And an ill death may ye dee!\n For your dochter was lyin wi the book in her arms,\n And she\u2019s praying for you and me.\u2019\n 281B.10 The auld wife still standin no far by,\n Still hearin a word, she said,\n \u2018Ye may say as ye like, ye silly auld man,\n There\u2019s a man in oor dochter\u2019s bed.\u2019\n 281B.11 I dinna ken what\u2019s taen the auld wife\u2019s fit,\n But into the creel she flew;\n The young clerk[\u2019s brither] being at the chimney-top,\n He found the creel was fu.\n 281B.12 He\u2019s thrown the rope out-owre his shouther,\n And to him he did draw;\n He\u2019s drawn her up, he\u2019s drawn her doun,\n He\u2019s drawn her through and through.\n 281B.13 Till the auld wife she began to cry,\n I\u2019m just departin noo!\n But aye he drew her up and doun,\n And drew her through and through.\n 281B.14 He\u2019s drawn her up, he\u2019s let her doun,\n He\u2019s gien her evendoun fall,\n Till every rib on the auld wife\u2019s side\n Played nick-nack on the wall.\n 281B.15 It\u2019s O the blue, the bonnie, bonnie blue,\n I wish the blue may do weel!\n For every auld wife that is jealous o her dochter\n May be rockit to the d---l in a creel!\n \n \n \n 281C: The Keach I the Creel\n \n \n 281C.1 As I gaed down to Collistown,\n Some white-fish for to buy, buy,\n The cunning clerk he followed me,\n And he followed me speedily, ly,\n And he followed me speedily.\n 281C.2 Says, Faur ye gaun, my dearest dear?\n O faur ye gaun, my dow?\n There\u2019s naebody comes to my bedside,\n And naebody wins to you.\n 281C.3 \u2018Your brother is a gallant square-wright,\n A gallant square-wright is he;\n Ye\u2019ll gar him make a lang ladder,\n Wi thirty steps and three.\n 281C.4 \u2018And gar him big a deep, deep creel,\n A deep creel and a string,\n And ye\u2019ll come up to my bedside,\n And come bonnily linken in.\u2019\n 281C.5 The auld gudemand and auld gudewife,\n To bed they went, to sleep;\n But wae mat worth the auld gudewife!\n A wink she coudna get.\n 281C.6 \u2018I dreamd a dreary dream this night,\n I wish it binna true,\n That the rottens had come thro the wa,\n And cutted the coverin blue.\u2019\n 281C.7 Then up it raise the auld gudeman,\n To see gin it was true;\n And he\u2019s gane to his daughter dear,\n Says, What are ye doing, my dow?\n 281C.8 \u2018What are ye doing, my daughter dear?\n What are ye doing, my dow?\u2019\n \u2018The prayer book\u2019s in my hand, father,\n Praying for my auld minnie and you.\u2019\n 281C.9 The auld gudeman and auld gudewife,\n To bed they went, to sleep;\n But wae mat worth the auld gudewife!\n But aye she wakend yet.\n 281C.10 \u2018I dreamd a dreary dream this night,\n I wish it binna true,\n That the cunning clerk and your ae daughter\n Were aneath the coverin blue\u2019\n 281C.11 \u2018O rise yoursell, gudewife,\u2019 he says,\n \u2018The diel may had you fast!\n Atween you and your ae daughter\n I canno get ae night\u2019s rest.\u2019\n 281C.12 Up then raise the auld gudewife,\n To see gin it was true,\n And she feel arselins in the creel,\n And up the string they drew.\n 281C.13 \u2018Win up, win up, gudeman,\u2019 she says,\n \u2018Win up and help me now!\n For he that ye gae me to last night,\n I think he\u2019s catchd me now.\u2019\n 281C.14 \u2018Gin Auld Nick he has catchd you now,\n I wish he may had you fast;\n As for you and your ae daughter,\n I never get kindly rest.\u2019\n 281C.15 They howded her, and they showded her,\n Till the auld wife gat a fa,\n And three ribs o the auld wife\u2019s side\n Gaed knip-knap ower in twa.\n \n \n \n 281D: The Keach I the Creel\n \n \n 281D.1 \u2018MY father he locks the doors at nicht,\n My mither the keys carries ben, ben;\n There\u2019s naebody dare gae out,\u2019 she says,\n \u2018And as few dare come in, in,\n And as few dare come in.\u2019\n 281D.2 \u2018I will mak a lang ladder,\n Wi fifty steps and three,\n I will mak a lang ladder,\n And lichtly come doun to thee.\u2019\n 281D.3 He has made a lang ladder,\n Wi fifty steps and three,\n He has made a lang ladder,\n And lichtly come doun the lum.\n 281D.4 They had na kissd nor lang clappit,\n As lovers do whan they meet,\n Till the auld wife says to the auld man,\n I hear somebody speak.\n 281D.5 \u2018I dreamed a dreem sin late yestreen,\n And I\u2019m feard my dream be true;\n I dreamd that the rottens cam thro the wa,\n And cuttit the covering blue.\n 281D.6 \u2018Ye\u2019ll rise, ye\u2019ll rise, my auld gudeman,\n And see gin this be true;\u2019\n \u2018If ye\u2019re wanting rising, rise yoursel,\n For I wish the auld chiel ahd you.\u2019\n 281D.7 \u2018I dreamed a dream sin late yestreen,\n And I\u2019m feard my dream be true;\n I dreamd that the clerk and our ae dother\n War rowed in the covering blue.\n 281D.8 \u2018Ye\u2019ll rise, ye\u2019ll rise, my auld gudeman,\n And see gin this be true:\u2019\n \u2018If ye\u2019re wanting rising, rise yoursel,\n For I wish the auld chiel had you.\u2019\n 281D.9 But up she raise, and but she gaes,\n And she fell into the gin;\n He gied the tow a clever tit,\n That brought her out at the lum.\n 281D.10 \u2018Ye\u2019ll rise, ye\u2019ll rise, my auld gudeman,\n Ye\u2019ll rise and come to me now,\n For him that ye\u2019ve gien me sae lang till,\n I fear he has gotten me now.\u2019\n 281D.11 \u2018The grip that he\u2019s gotten, I wish he may haud,\n And never let it gae,\n For atween you and your ae dother\n I rest neither nicht nor day.\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 282. Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant","title":"The Child Ballads: 281. The Keach I the Creel","type":"page"}