25 Once she took harp into her hand,
And harped them asleep;
Then she sat down at their couch side,
And bitterly did weep.
Said, "Seven bairns have I born now
30 To my lord in the ha';
I wish they were seven greedy rats,
To run upon the wa',
And I mysel' a great grey cat,
To eat them ane an' a'.
35 "For ten long years now I have lived
Within this cave of stane,
And never was at good church door,
Nor got no good churching."
O then outspak her eldest child,
40 And a fine boy was he,—
"O hold your tongue, my mother dear;
"Take you the youngest in your lap,
The next youngest by the hand;
45 Put all the rest of us you before,
As you learnt us to gang.
"And go with us into some good kirk,—
You say they are built of stane,—
And let us all be christened,
50 And you get good kirking."
She took the youngest in her lap,
The next youngest by the hand;
Set all the rest of them her before,
As she learnt them to gang.
55 And she has left the wood with them,
And to a kirk has gane;
Where the good priest them christened,
And gave her good kirking.