"When I was young, o' three years old,
Muckle was made o' me;
My stepmither put on my claithes,
100 An' ill, ill, sained she me.
"Ae fatal morning I gaed out,
Dreading nae injurie;
And thinking lang, fell soun asleep,
Beneath an apple tree.
105
"Then by it came the Elfin Queen,
And laid her hand on me;
And from that time since e'er I mind,
I've been in her companie.
"O Elfin it's a bonny place,
110 In it fain wad I dwell;
But aye at ilka seven years' end,
They pay a tiend to hell,
And I'm sae fou o' flesh an blude,
I'm sair fear'd for mysell."
115 "O tell me, tell me, Tam-a-Line,
O tell, an' tell me true;
Tell me this nicht, an' mak' nae lee,
What way I'll borrow you?"
"The morn is Hallowe'en nicht,
120 The Elfin court will ride,
Through England, and thro' a' Scotland,
And through the warld wide.
"O they begin at sky sett in,
Ride a' the evenin' tide;
125 And she that will her true love borrow,
At Miles-cross will him bide.
"Ye'll do ye down to Miles-cross,
Between twall hours and ane;
And full your hands o' holie water,
130 And cast your compass roun'.
"Then the first ane court that comes you till,
Is published king and queen;
The neist ane court that comes you till,