Читать книгу English and Scottish Ballads (Vol. 1-8) - Various Authors - Страница 129

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From Percy's Reliques, iii. 290, where it was "given, with some corrections, from a MS. copy transmitted from Scotland." There is a corresponding Swedish Ballad, Herr Peder och Liten Kerstin, in the Svenska Folk-Visor, i. 49. It is translated in Literature and Romance of Northern Europe, by William and Mary Howitt, i. 258.

Lord Thomas and fair Annet

Sate a' day on a hill;

Whan night was cum, and sun was sett,

They had not talkt their fill.

Lord Thomas said a word in jest,5

Fair Annet took it ill:

"A' I will nevir wed a wife

Against my ain friends will."

"Gif ye wull nevir wed a wife,

A wife wull neir wed yee:"10

Sae he is hame to tell his mither,

And knelt upon his knee.

"O rede, O rede, mither," he says,

"A gude rede gie to mee:

O sall I tak the nut-browne bride,15

And let faire Annet bee?"

"The nut-browne bride haes gowd and gear,

Fair Annet she has gat nane;

And the little beauty fair Annet has,

O it wull soon be gane."20

And he has till his brother gane:

"Now, brother, rede ye mee;

A', sall I marrie the nut-browne bride,

And let fair Annet bee?"

"The nut-browne bride has oxen, brother,25

The nut-browne bride has kye:

I wad hae ye marrie the nut-browne bride,

And cast fair Annet bye."

"Her oxen may dye i' the house, billie,

And her kye into the byre,30

And I sall hae nothing to mysell,

Bot a fat fadge by the fyre."

And he has till his sister gane:

"Now sister, rede ye mee;

O sall I marrie the nut-browne bride,35

And set fair Annet free?"

"Ise rede ye tak fair Annet, Thomas,

And let the browne bride alane;

Lest ye sould sigh, and say, Alace,

What is this we brought hame!"40

"No, I will tak my mithers counsel,

And marrie me owt o' hand;

And I will tak the nut-browne bride;

Fair Annet may leive the land."

Up then rose fair Annets father,45

Twa hours or it wer day,

And he is gane into the bower

Wherein fair Annet lay.

"Rise up, rise up, fair Annet," he says,

"Put on your silken sheene;50

Let us gae to St. Maries kirke,

And see that rich weddeen."

"My maides, gae to my dressing-roome,

And dress to me my hair;

Whair-eir yee laid a plait before,55

See yee lay ten times mair.

"My maids, gae to my dressing-room,

And dress to me my smock;

The one half is o' the holland fine,

The other o' needle-work."60

The horse fair Annet rade upon,

He amblit like the wind;

Wi' siller he was shod before,

Wi' burning gowd behind.

Four and twanty siller bells65

Wer a' tyed till his mane,

And yae tift o' the norland wind,

They tinkled ane by ane.

Four and twanty gay gude knichts

Rade by fair Annets side,70

And four and twanty fair ladies,

As gin she had bin a bride.

And whan she cam to Maries kirk,

She sat on Maries stean:

The cleading that fair Annet had on75

It skinkled in their een.

And whan she cam into the kirk,

She shimmer'd like the sun;

The belt that was about her waist,

Was a' wi' pearles bedone.80

She sat her by the nut-browne bride,

And her een they wer sae clear,

Lord Thomas he clean forgat the bride,

Whan fair Annet she drew near.

He had a rose into his hand,85

And he gave it kisses three,

And reaching by the nut-browne bride,

Laid it on fair Annets knee.

Up than spak the nut-browne bride,

She spak wi' meikle spite;90

"And whair gat ye that rose-water,

That does mak yee sae white?"

"O I did get the rose-water

Whair ye wull neir get nane,

For I did get that very rose-water95

Into my mithers wame."

The bride she drew a long bodkin

Frae out her gay head-gear,

And strake fair Annet unto the heart,

That word she nevir spak mair.100

Lord Thomas he saw fair Annet wex pale,

And marvelit what mote bee:

But whan he saw her dear hearts blude,

A' wood-wroth wexed hee.

He drew his dagger, that was sae sharp,105

That was sae sharp and meet,

And drave into the nut-browne bride,

That fell deid at his feit.

"Now stay for me, dear Annet," he sed,

"Now stay, my dear," he cry'd;110

Then strake the dagger untill his heart,

And fell deid by her side.

Lord Thomas was buried without kirk-wa',

Fair Annet within the quiere;

And o' the tane thair grew a birk,115

The other a bonny briere.

And ay they grew, and ay they threw,

As they wad faine be neare;

And by this ye may ken right weil,

They were twa luvers deare.120