LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF-KNIGHT

Fair lady Isabel sits in her bower sewing,

Aye as the gowans grow gay;

There she heard an elf-knight blawing his horn,

The first morning in May.

"If I had yon horn that I hear blawing,

And yon elf-knight to sleep in my bosom."

This maiden had scarcely these words spoken,

Till in at her window the elf-knight has luppen.

"It's a very strange matter, fair maiden," said he,

"I canna blaw my horn, but ye call on me."

"But will ye go to yon greenwood side,

If ye canna' gang, I will cause you to ride."

He leapt on a horse, and she on another,

And they rode on to the greenwood together.

"Light down, light down, lady Isabel," said he,

"We are come to the place where ye are to die."

"Hae mercy, hae mercy, kind sir, on me,

Till ance my dear father and mother I see."

gowans flowers.

"Seven king's-daughters here hae I slain,

And ye shall be the eight o' them."

"O sit down a while lay your head on my knee,

That we may hae some rest before that I die."

She strok'd him sae fast, the nearer he did creep,

Wi' a sma' charm she lull'd him fast asleep.

Wi' his ain sword belt sae fast as she ban' him,

With his ain dag-dirk sae sair as she dang him.

"If seven kings' daughters here ye ha'e slain,

Lie ye here, a husband to them a'."