Читать книгу English and Scottish Ballads (Vol. 1-8) - Various Authors - Страница 91

Sir Oluf the hend has ridden sae wide,

All unto his bridal feast to bid.

And lightly the elves, sae feat and free,

They dance all under the greenwood tree!

5 And there danced four, and there danced five;

The Elf-King's daughter she reekit bilive.

Her hand to Sir Oluf sae fair and free:

"O welcome, Sir Oluf, come dance wi' me!

"O welcome, Sir Oluf! now lat thy love gae,

10 And tread wi' me in the dance sae gay."

"To dance wi' thee ne dare I, ne may;

The morn it is my bridal day."

"O come, Sir Oluf, and dance wi' me;

Twa buckskin boots I'll give to thee;

15 "Twa buckskin boots, that sit sae fair,

Wi' gilded spurs sae rich and rare.

"And hear ye, Sir Oluf! come dance wi' me;

And a silken sark I'll give to thee;

"A silken sark sae white and fine,

20 That my mother bleached in the moonshine."

"I darena, I maunna come dance wi' thee;

For the morn my bridal day maun be."

"O hear ye, Sir Oluf! come dance wi' me,

And a helmet o' goud I'll give to thee."

25 "A helmet o' goud I well may ha'e;

But dance wi' thee ne dare I, ne may."

"And winna thou dance, Sir Oluf, wi' me?

Then sickness and pain shall follow thee!"

She's smitten Sir Oluf—it strak to his heart;

30 He never before had kent sic a smart;

Then lifted him up on his ambler red;

"And now, Sir Oluf, ride hame to thy bride."

And whan he came till the castell yett,

His mither she stood and leant thereat.

35 "O hear ye, Sir Oluf, my ain dear son,

Whareto is your lire sae blae and wan?"

"O well may my lire be wan and blae,

For I ha'e been in the elf-womens' play."

"O hear ye, Sir Oluf, my son, my pride,

40 And what shall I say to thy young bride?"

"Ye'll say, that I've ridden but into the wood,

To prieve gin my horse and hounds are good."

Ear on the morn, whan night was gane,

The bride she cam wi' the bridal train.

45 They skinked the mead, and they skinked the wine:

"O whare is Sir Oluf, bridegroom mine?"

"Sir Oluf has ridden but into the wood,

To prieve gin his horse and hounds are good."

And she took up the scarlet red,

50 And there lay Sir Oluf, and he was dead!

Ear on the morn, whan it was day,

Three likes were ta'en frae the castle away;

Sir Oluf the leal, and his bride sae fair,

And his mither, that died wi' sorrow and care.

55 And lightly the elves sae feat and free,

They dance all under the greenwood tree!