20 The lady's gane to her chamber,
And a moanfu woman was she,
As gin she had taen a sudden brash,
And were about to die.
21 'A boon, a boon, my father deir,
A boon I beg of thee!'
'Ask not that paughty Scotish lord,
For him you neer shall see.
22 'But, for your honest asking else,
Weel granted it shall be:'
'Then, gin I die in southern land,
In Scotland gar bury me.
23 'And the first kirk that ye come to,
Ye's gar the mass be sung,
And the next kirk that ye come to,
Ye's gar the bells be rung.
24 'And when ye come to St Mary's kirk,
Ye's tarry there till night:'
And so her father pledged his word,
And so his promise plight.
25 She has taen her to her bigly bour,
As fast as she could fare,
And she has drank a sleepy draught,
That she had mixed wi care.
26 And pale, pale grew her rosy cheek,
That was sae bright of blee,
And she seemed to be as surely dead
As any one could be.
27 They drapt a drap o the burning red gowd,
They drapt it on her chin;
'And ever alas,' her mother cried,
'There is nae life within!'
28 They drapt a drap o the burning red gowd,
They drapt it on her breast-bane;
'Alas,' her seven bauld brothers said,
'Our sister's dead and gane!'
29 Then up arose her seven brethren,
And hewd to her a bier;
They hewd it frae the solid aik,
Laid it oer wi silver clear.