And he was stout and proud-hearted,
And thought o’t bitterlie;
And he’s gane by the wan moonlight,
To meet his Marjorie.
“Oh, open, open, my true love,
Oh, open and let me in!”
“I darena open, young Benjie,
My three brothers are within.”
“Ye lee, ye lee, ye bonnie burd,
Sae loud’s I hear ye lee;
As I came by the Louden banks,
They bade gude e’en to me.
“But fare ye weel, my ae fause love,
That I have lov’d sae lang!
It sets ye chuse another love,
And let young Benjie gang.”
Then Marjorie turn’d her round about,
The tear blinding her e’e;
“I darena, darena let thee in,
But I’ll come down to thee.”
Then salt she smil’d, and said to him—
“Oh, what ill ha’e I done?”
He took her in his arms twa,
And threw her o’er the linn.
The stream was strong, the maid was stout,
And laith, laith to be dang;
But ere she wan the Louden banks,
Her fair colour was wan.
Then up bespake her eldest brother—
“Oh, see na ye what I see?”
And out then spake her second brother—
“It is our sister Marjorie!”
Out then spake her eldest brother—
“Oh, how shall we her ken?”
And out then spake her youngest brother—
“There’s a honey mark on her chin.”
Then they’ve ta’en the comely corpse,
And laid it on the ground;
Saying—“Wha has kill’d our ae sister?
And how can he be found?