3 This maiden had scarcely these words spoken, Till in at her window the elf-knight has luppen.
4 'It's a very strange matter, fair maiden,' said he, 'I canna blaw my horn but ye call on me.
5 'But will ye go to yon greenwood side? If ye canna gang, I will cause you to ride.'
6 He leapt on a horse, and she on another, And they rode on to the greenwood together.
7 'Light down, light down, lady Isabel,' said he, 'We are come to the place where ye are to die.'
8 'Hae mercy, hae mercy, kind sir, on me, Till ance my dear father and mother I see.'
9 'Seven king's-daughters here hae I slain, And ye shall be the eight o them.'
10 'O sit down a while, lay your head on my knee, That we may hae some rest before that I die.'
11 She stroakd him sae fast, the nearer he did creep, Wi a sma charm she lulld him fast asleep.
12 Wi his ain sword-belt sae fast as she ban him, Wi his ain dag-durk sae sair as she dang him.
13 'If seven king's-daughters here ye hae slain, Lye ye here, a husband to them a'.'
#a.# Buchan's MSS, II, fol. 80. #b.# Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 201. c. Motherwell's MS., p. 561. #d.# Harris MS., No 19.
1 There came a bird out o a bush, On water for to dine, An sighing sair, says the king's daughter, 'O wae 's this heart o mine!'
2 He 's taen a harp into his hand, He 's harped them all asleep, Except it was the king's daughter, Who one wink couldna get.
3 He 's luppen on his berry-brown steed, Taen 'er on behind himsell, Then baith rede down to that water That they ca Wearie's Well.
4 'Wide in, wide in, my lady fair, No harm shall thee befall; Oft times I've watered my steed Wi the waters o Wearie's Well.'
5 The first step that she stepped in, She stepped to the knee; And sighend says this lady fair, 'This water 's nae for me.'
6 'Wide in, wide in, my lady fair, No harm shall thee befall; Oft times I've watered my steed Wi the water o Wearie's Well.'
7 The next step that she stepped in, She stepped to the middle; 'O,' sighend says this lady fair, I 've wat my gowden girdle.'
8 'Wide in, wide in, my lady fair, No harm shall thee befall; Oft times have I watered my steed Wi the water o Wearie's Well.'
9 The next step that she stepped in, She stepped to the chin; 'O,' sighend says this lady fair, 'They sud gar twa loves twin.'
