But young Beichan was a Christian born,
And still a Christian was he;
Which made them put him in prison strang,
And cauld and hunger sair to dree;20
And fed on nocht but bread and water,
Until the day that he mot dee.
In this prison there grew a tree,
And it was unco stout and strang;
Where he was chained by the middle,25
Until his life was almaist gane.
The savage Moor had but ae dochter,
And her name it was Susie Pye;
And ilka day as she took the air,
The prison door she passed bye.30
But it fell ance upon a day,
As she was walking, she heard him sing;
She listen'd to his tale of woe,
A happy day for young Beichan!
"My hounds they all go masterless,35
My hawks they flee frae tree to tree,
My youngest brother will heir my lands,
My native land I'll never see."
"O were I but the prison-keeper,
As I'm a ladie o' hie degree,40
I soon wad set this youth at large,
And send him to his ain countrie."
She went away into her chamber,
All nicht she never clos'd her ee;
And when the morning begoud to dawn,45
At the prison door alane was she.
She gied the keeper a piece of gowd,
And monie pieces o' white monie,
To tak her thro' the bolts and bars;
The lord frae Scotland she lang'd to see;—50
She saw young Beichan at the stake,
Which made her weep maist bitterlie.