THE TWA CORBIES.
OLD SCOTTISH BALLAD.
As I gaed doun by yon house-en’,
Twa corbies there were sittand their lane.
The tane unto the tother sae,
“O where shall we gae dine to-day?”
“O down beside yon new-faun birk,
There lies a new-slain knicht,
Nae livin kens that he lies there,
But his horse, his hounds, and his lady fair.
“His horse is to the huntin gone,
His hounds to bring the wild deer hame;
His lady’s taen another mate;
Sae we may make our dinner swate.
“O we’ll sit on his bonnie briest-bane,
And we’ll pyke out his bonnie grey e’en;
Wi ae lock o’ his gowden hair
We’ll theek our nest when it blaws bare.
“Mony a ane for him maks mane,
But nane sail ken where he is gane;
Ower his banes, when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair!”
Anonymous, about 1600.