Translated by Schubart, p. 170, and by Gerhard, p. 92.
1
Fair Lady Anne sate in her bower,
Down by the greenwood side,
And the flowers did spring, and the birds did sing,
'Twas the pleasant May-day tide.
2
But fair Lady Anne on Sir William calld,
With the tear grit in her ee,
'O though them be fause, may Heaven thee guard,
In the wars ayont the sea!'
3
Out of the wood came three bonnie boys,
Upon the simmer's morn,
And they did sing and play at the ba',
As naked as they were born.
4
'O seven lang years wad I sit here,
Amang the frost and snaw,
A' to hae but ane o these bonnie boys,
A playing at the ba.'
5
Then up and spake the eldest boy,
'Now listen, thou fair ladie,
And ponder well the rede that I tell,
Then make ye a choice of the three.
6
''Tis I am Peter, and this is Paul,
And that ane, sae fair to see,
But a twelve-month sinsyne to paradise came,
To join with our companie.'
7
'O I will hae the snaw-white boy,
The bonniest of the three:'
'And if I were thine, and in thy propine,
O what wad ye do to me?'
8
''Tis I wad clead thee in silk and gowd,
And nourice thee on my knee:'
'O mither, mither, when I was thine,
Sic kindness I couldna see.
9
'Beneath the turf, where now I stand,
The fause nurse buried me;
The cruel pen-knife sticks still in my heart,
And I come not back to thee.'