O Rose the Red, and White Lilly,
Their mother deir was dead;
And their father has married an ill woman,
Wish'd them twa little guid.
But she had twa as gallant sons5
As ever brake mans bread;
And the tane o' them lo'ed her, White Lilly,
And the tother Rose the Red.
O bigged hae they a bigly bour,
Fast by the roaring strand;10
And there was mair mirth in the ladyes bour,
Nor in a' their fathers land.
But out and spak their step-mother,
As she stood a little forebye—
"I hope to live and play the prank15
Sall gar your loud sang lie."
She's call'd upon her eldest son,
"Cum here, my son, to me:
It fears me sair, my Bauld Arthur,
That ye maun sail the sea."20
"Gin sae it maun be, my deir mother,
Your bidding I maun dee;
But, be never waur to Rose the Red,
Than ye hae been to me."
She's called upon her youngest son,25
"Cum here, my son, to me:
It fears me sair, my Brown Robin,
That ye maun sail the sea."
"Gin it fear ye sair, my mother deir,
Your bidding I shall dee;30
But, be never waur to White Lilly,
Than ye hae been to me."
"Now haud your tongues, ye foolish boys,
For small sall be their part:
They ne'er again sall see your face,35
Gin their very hearts suld break."
Sae Bauld Arthur's gane to our king's court,
His hie chamberlain to be;
But Brown Robin, he has slain a knight,
And to grene-woode he did flee.40