13
'O had your tongue, ye eldren man,
And bring me not to shame;
Although that I do gang wi bairn,
Yese naeways get the blame.
14
'Were my love but an earthly man,
As he's an elfin knight,
I woudna gie my ain true love
For a' that's in my sight.'
15
Then out it speaks her brither dear,
He meant to do her harm:
'There is an herb in Charter wood
Will twine you an the bairn.'
16
She's taen her mantle her about,
Her coffer by the band,
And she is on to Charter wood,
As fast as she coud gang.
17
She hadna poud a rose, a rose,
Nor braken a branch but ane,
Till by it came him Tam-a-Line,
Says, Ladye, lat alane.
18
O why pou ye the pile, Margaret,
The pile o the gravil green,
For to destroy the bonny bairn
That we got us between?
19
O why pou ye the pile, Margaret,
The pile o the gravil gray,
For to destroy the bonny bairn
That we got in our play?
20
For if it be a knave-bairn,
He's heir o a' my land;
But if it be a lass-bairn,
In red gowd she shall gang.
21
'If my luve were an earthly man,
As he's an elfin rae,
I coud gang bound, love, for your sake,
A twalmonth and a day.'
22
'Indeed your love's an earthly man,
The same as well as thee,
And lang I've haunted Charter woods,
A' for your fair bodie.'