"Is there ony room at your head, Saunders?45
Is there ony room at your feet?
Or ony room at your side, Saunders,
Where fain, fain, I wad sleep?"—
"There's nae room at my head, Marg'ret,
There's nae room at my feet;50
My bed it is full lowly now:
Amang the hungry worms I sleep.
"Cauld mould is my covering now,
But and my winding-sheet;
The dew it falls nae sooner down,55
Than my resting place is weet.
"[But plait a wand o' bonny birk],
And lay it on my breast;
And shed a tear upon my grave,
And wish my saul gude rest.60
"And fair Marg'ret, and rare Marg'ret,
And Marg'ret o' veritie,
Gin e'er ye love another man,
Ne'er love him as ye did me."—
Then up and crew the milk-white cock,65
And up and crew the grey;
Her lover vanish'd in the air,
And she gaed weeping away.
[1]. The custom of the passing bell is still kept up in many villages in Scotland. The sexton goes through the town, ringing a small bell, and announcing the death of the departed, and the time of the funeral. Scott.
[33]. Chrisom.
[57]. The custom of binding the new-laid sod of the churchyard with osiers, or other saplings, prevailed both in England and Scotland, and served to protect the turf from injury by cattle, or otherwise. Scott.