Sacred Texts Legends & Sagas England Index Previous Next
51A.1 LIZIE WAN sits at her father’s bower-door, Weeping and making a mane, And by there came her father dear: ‘What ails thee, Lizie Wan?’ 51A.2 ‘I ail, and I ail, dear father,’ she said, ‘And I’ll tell you a reason for why; There is a child between my twa sides, Between my dear billy and I.’ 51A.3 Now Lizie Wan sits at her father’s bower-door, Sighing and making a mane, And by there came her brother dear: ‘What ails thee, Lizie Wan?’ 51A.4 ‘I ail, I ail, dear brither,’ she said, ‘And I’ll tell you a reason for why; There is a child bewteen my twa sides, Between you, dear billy, and I.’ 51A.5 ‘And hast thou tald father and mother o that? And hast thou tald sae o me?’ And he has drawn his gude braid sword, That hung down by his knee. 51A.6 And he has cutted aff Lizie Wan’s head, And her fair body in three, And he’s awa to his mothers bower, And sair aghast was he. 51A.7 ‘What ails thee, what ails thee, Geordy Wan? What ails thee sae fast to rin? For I see by thy ill colour Some fallow’s deed thou hast done.’ 51A.8 ‘Some fallow’s deed I have done, mother, And I pray you pardon me; For I’ve cutted aff my greyhound’s head; He wadna rin for me.’ 51A.9 ‘Thy greyhound’s bluid was never sae red, O my son Geordy Wan! For I see by thy ill colour Some fallow’s deed thou hast done.’ 51A.10 ‘Some fallow’s deed I hae done, mother, And I pray you pardon me; For I hae cutted aff Lizie Wan’s head And her fair body in three.’ 51A.11 ‘O what wilt thou do when thy father comes hame, O my son Geordy Wan?’ ‘I’ll set my foot in a bottomless boat, And swim to the sea-ground.’ 51A.12 ‘And when will thou come hame again, O my son Geordy Wan?’ ‘The sun and the moon shall dance on the green That night when I come hame.’
51B.1 ROSIE she sat in her simmer bower, Greitin and making grit mane, When down by cam her father, saying, What ails thee Rosie Ann? 51B.2 ‘A deal, a deal, dear father,’ she said, ‘Great reason hae I to mane, For there lyes a little babe in my side, Between me and my brither John.’ 51B.3 Rosie she sat in her simmer bower, Weeping and making great mane, And wha cam doun but her mither dear, Saying, What ails thee, Rosie Ann? 51B.4 ‘A deal, a deal, dear mither,’ she said, ‘Great reason hae I to mane, For there lyes a little babe in my side, Between me and my brither John.’ 51B.5 Rosie she sat in her simmer bower, Greiting and making great mane, And wha came doun but her sister dear, Saying, What ails thee, Rosie Ann? 51B.6 ‘A deal, a deal, dear sister,’ she said, ‘Great reason hae I to mane, For there lyes a little babe in my side, Between me and my brither John.’ 51B.7 Rosie she sat in her simmer bower, Weeping and making great mane, And wha cam doun but her fause, fause brither, Saying, What ails thee, Rosie Ann? 51B.8 ‘A deal, a deal, dear brither,’ she said, ‘Great reason hae I to cry, For there lyes a little babe in my side, Between yoursell and I.’ 51B.9 ‘Weel ye hae tauld father, and ye hae tauld mither, And ye hae tauld sister, a’ three;’ Syne he pulled out his wee penknife, And he cut her fair bodie in three. 51B.10 ‘O what blude is that on the point o your knife, Dear son, come tell to me?’ ‘It is my horse’s, that I did kill, Dear mother and fair ladie.’ 51B.11 ‘The blude o your horse was neer sae red, Dear son, come tell to me:’ ‘It is my grandfather’s, that I hae killed, Dear mother and fair ladie.’ 51B.12 ‘The blude o your grandfather was neer sae fresh, Dear son, come tell to me:’ ‘It is my sister’s, that I did kill, Dear mother and fair ladie.’ 51B.13 ‘What will ye do when your father comes hame, Dear son, come tell to me?’ ‘I’ll set my foot on yon shipboard, And I hope she’ll sail wi me.’ 51B.14 ‘What will ye do wi your bonny bonny young wife, Dear son, come tell to me?’ ‘I’ll set her foot on some other ship, And I hope she’ll follow me.’ 51B.15 ‘And what will ye do wi your wee son, Dear son, come tell to me?’ ‘I’ll leave him wi you, my dear mother, To keep in remembrance of me.’ 51B.16 ‘What will ye do wi your houses and lands, Dear son, come tell to me?’ ‘I’ll leave them wi you, my dear mother, To keep my own babie.’ 51B.17 ‘And whan will you return again, Dear son, come tell to me?’ ‘When the sun and the mune meet on yon hill, And I hope that’ll neer be.’