THE BROOMFIELD HILL

Brome, brome on hill,

The gentle brome on hill, hill,

Brome, brome on Hive hill,

The gentle brome on Hive hill,

The brome stands on Hive hill-a....

"O where were ye, my milk-white steed,

That I hae coft [129] sae dear,

That wadna' watch and waken me

When there was maiden here?"

"I stampèd wi' my foot, master,

And gard my bridle ring,

But na kin thing wald waken ye,

Till she was past and gane."

"And wae betide ye, my gay goss-hawk,

That I did love sae dear,

That wadna' watch and waken me

When there was maiden here."

"I clappèd wi' my wings, master,

And aye my bells I rang,

And aye cryed, Waken, waken, master,

Before the ladye gang."

"But haste and haste, my guide white steed,

To come the maiden till,

Or a' the birds of gude green wood

Of your flesh shall have their fill."

"Ye need no burst your gude white steed

Wi' racing o'er the howm;[130]

Nae bird flies faster through the wood,

Than she fled through the broom."