(Robe is misprinted rolu).
After 4 follows this stanza, which, with but a word or two of difference, is the first of '[Brown Robin],' where, no doubt, it belongs, but not here:
And the king but and his nobles a'
Sat birling at the wine,
And he wad hae but his ae dochter
To wait on them at dine.
10 may not be in the right place, and should, perhaps, be put just before Gib gets his deserts. Some such stanza would come in well between 20 and 21 of A.
After 25 follows 29, manifestly with no right. If this commonplace is retained, it must come at the end.
After 29 (27 in Jamieson) follow these three stanzas, the first a superfluous and very improbable repetition; the second altered by Jamieson, "to introduce a little variety, and prevent the monotonous tiresomeness of repetition," the last as little in traditional style as the second.
He'd harpit a fish out o saut water,
The water out o a stane,
The milk out o a maiden's breast
That bairn had never nane.
He's taen his harp intill his hand,
Sae sweetly as it rang,
And wae and weary was to hear
Glenkindie's dowie sang.
But cald and dead was that lady,
Nor heeds for a' his maen;
An he wad harpit till domis day,
She'll never speak again.
C.