Читать книгу Come Hither: A Collection of Rhymes and Poems for the Young of All Ages - Various - Страница 74

I have a yong suster

fer beyondyn the se;

Many be the drowryis

that che sente me.

Che sente me the cherye,

withoutyn ony ston,

And so che dede (the) dowe,

withoutyn ony bon.

Sche sente me the brere,

withoutyn ony rynde,

Sche bad me love my lem-man

withoute longgyng.

How shuld ony cherye

be withoute ston?

And how shuld ony dowe

ben withoute bon?

How shuld any brere

ben withoute rynde?

How shuld I love my lemman

without longyng?

Quan the cherye was a flour,

than hadde it non ston;

Quan the dowe was an ey,

than hadde it non bon.

Quan the brere was onbred,

than hadde it non rynd;

Quan the mayden hayt that che lovit,

che is without longing.

I have a young sister

Far beyond the sea;

Many are the keepsakes

That she's sent me.

She sent me a cherry—

It hadn't any stone;

And so she did a wood dove

Withouten any bone.

She sent me a briar

Withouten any rind;

She bade me love my sweetheart

Without longing in my mind.

How should any cherry

Be without a stone?

And how should any wood dove

Be without a bone?

How should any briar,

Be without rind?

And how love a sweetheart

Without longing in my mind?

When the cherry was a flower

Then it had no stone;

When the wood-dove was an egg

Then it had no bone.

When the briar was unbred

Then it had no rind;

And when a maid hath that she loves,

She longs not in her mind.

66