THE QUEEN OF ELFAN’S NOURICE

1.⁴ ‘ben,’ within.

‘I heard a cow low, a bonnie cow low,

An’ a cow low down in yon glen;

Lang, lang, will my young son greet

Or his mother bid him come ben.

‘I heard a cow low, a bonnie cow low,

An’ a cow low down in yon fauld;

Lang, lang will my young son greet

Or his mither take him frae cauld.

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‘.....

.....

Waken, Queen of Elfan,

An’ hear your nourice moan.’

‘O moan ye for your meat,

Or moan ye for your fee,

Or moan ye for the ither bounties

That ladies are wont to gie?’

‘I moan na for my meat,

Nor moan I for my fee,

Nor moan I for the ither bounties

That ladies are wont to gie.

‘.....

.....

But I moan for my young son

I left in four nights auld.

‘I moan na for my meat,

Nor yet for my fee,

But I mourn for Christen land,

It’s there I fain would be.’

‘O nurse my bairn, nourice,’ she says,

‘Till he stan’ at your knee,

An’ ye’s win hame to Christen land,

Whar fain it’s ye wad be.

9.² i.e. till he can walk by holding on to things.

‘O keep my bairn, nourice,

Till he gang by the hauld,

An’ ye’s win hame to your young son

Ye left in four nights auld.’

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10.

‘O nourice lay your head

Upo’ my knee:

See ye na that narrow road

Up by yon tree?

11.

.....

That’s the road the righteous goes,

And that’s the road to heaven.

12.

‘An’ see na ye that braid road,

Down by yon sunny fell?

Yon’s the road the wicked gae,

An’ that’s the road to hell.’

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