FAIR HELEN OF KIRCONNELL

I WISH I were where Helen lies!
Night and day on me she cries;
O that I were where Helen lies,
On fair Kirconnell Lee!

Curst be the heart that thought the

thought,

And curst the hand that fired the shot,
When in my arms burd Helen dropt,
And died to succour me.

O thinkna ye my heart was sair,
When my love dropt down and spak nae

mair!

There did she swoon wi' meikle care,
On fair Kirconnell Lee.

As I went down the water-side,
None but my foe to be my guide,
None but my foe to be my guide,
On fair Kirconnell Lee.
Ilighted down, my sword did draw,
I hacked him in pieces sma',
I hacked him in pieces sma',
For her sake that died for me.

ΤΟ

15

20

O Helen fair, beyond compare!
I'll make a garland of thy hair,
Shall bind my heart for evermair,
Until the day I die.

O that I were where Helen lies!
Night and day on me she cries;
Out of my bed she bids me rise,
Says, "Haste, and come to me!'

O Helen fair! O Helen chaste!

25

If I were with thee, I were blest,
Where thou lies low, and takes thy rest,
On fair Kirconnell Lee.

30

I wish my grave were growing green,

A winding-sheet drawn ower my e'en,
And I in Helen's arms lying,

On fair Kirconnell Lee.

I wish I were where Helen lies!
Night and day on me she cries;
And I am weary of the skies,

For her sake that died for me.

Scott, Minst. Scot. Bord.

ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH

WHEN Robin Hood and Little John

Down a down, a down, a down

Went o'er yon bank of broom,

Said Robin Hood bold to Little John,

35

40

"We have shot for many a pound.
Hey, down, a down, a down.

“But I am not able to shoot one shot more,
My broad arrows will not flee;
But I have a cousin lives down below,
Please God, she will bleed me."

Now Robin he is to fair Kirkley gone,
As fast as he can win;

But before he came there, as we do hear,
He was taken very ill.

And when he came to fair Kirkley-hall,
He knocked all at the ring,

10

But none was so ready as his cousin herself
For to let bold Robin in.

15

"Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin,"

she said,

"And drink some beer with me?"

"No, I will neither eat nor drink,

Till I

am blooded by thee."

20

"Well, I have a room, cousin Robin," she said,

"Which you did never see,

And if you please to walk therein,
You blooded by me shall be."

She took him by the lily-white hand,
And led him to a private room,

And there she blooded bold Robin Hood,

While one

25

drop of blood would run down. 30

She blooded him in the vein of the arm,
And locked him up in the room;

Then did he bleed all the live-long day,
Until the next day at noon.

He then bethought him of a casement there, 35 Thinking for to get down;

But was so weak he could not leap,

He could not get him down.

He then bethought him of his bugle-horn,
Which hung low down to his knee;

He set his horn unto his mouth,

And blew out weak blasts three.

Then Little John, when hearing him,
As he sat under a tree,

40

“I fear my master is now near dead, He blows so wearily."

45

Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone,

As fast as he can dree;

But when he came to Kirkley-hall,

He broke locks two or three:

Until he came bold Robin to see,

Then he fell on his knee;

"A boon, a boon," cries Little John,

"Master, I beg of thee."

50

What is that boon." quoth Robin Hood, "Little John, [thou] begs of me?"

55