Out he has ta’en his little pen-knife,

And frae her sark he’s shorn a gare,

Rowed that about his lovely head,

But the pain increased mair and mair.

10.

10.4 ‘war,’ worse.

‘Ohon, alas!’ says Clark Colven,

‘An’ aye sae sair’s I mean my head!’

And merrily laugh’d the mermaiden,

‘It will ay be war till ye be dead.’