3. The tree ravens

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

Down a down, hay down, hay down,

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

With a down,

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

They were as black as they might be,

With a down, derry, derry, derry, down, down,

The one of them said to his mate,

"Where shall we our breakfast take?

"Down in yonder green field

There lies a knight slain under his shield.

"His hounds they lie down at his feet,

So well they can their master keep.

"His hawks they fly so eagerly,

There's no fowl (=bird) dare him come nigh."

Down there comes a fallow (=red-brown) doe,

As great with young as she might go."

She lift up his bloody head,

And kissed his wounds that were so red.

She got him up upon her back,

And carried him to earthen lake (= pit).

She buried him before the prime;

She was dead herself ere evensong time.

God send every gentleman

Such hawks, such hounds, and such a lemman. (=mistress)

4. The cruel brother

¹ There was three ladies play'd at the ba',

With a hey ho and a lillie gay

There came a knight and play'd oer them a'.

As the primrose spreads so sweetly

² The eldest was baith tall and fair,

But the youngest was beyond compare.

³ The midmost had a graceful mien,

But the youngest look'd like beautie's queen.

⁴ The knight bow'd low to a' the three,

But to the youngest he bent his knee.

⁵ The ladie turned her head aside,

The knight he woo'd her to be his bride.

⁶ The ladie blush'd a rosy red,

And sayd, "Sir knight, I'm too young to wed."

⁷ "0 ladie fair, give me your hand,

And I'll make you ladie of a' my land."

⁸ "Sir knight, ere ye my favor win,

You maun get consent frae a' my kin."

⁹ He's got consent frae her parents dear,

And likewise frae her sisters fair.

¹⁰He's got consent frae her kin each one,

But forgot to spiek to her brother John.

¹¹Now, when the wedding day was come,

The knight would take his bonny bride home.

¹²And many a lord and many a knight

Came to behold that ladie bright.

¹³And there was nae man that did her see,

But wish'd himself bridegroom to be.

¹⁴Her father dear led her down the stair,

And her sisters twain they kiss'd her there.

¹⁵Her mother dear led her thro the doss,

And her brother John set her on her horse.

¹⁶She lean'd her o'er the saddle-bow,

To give him a kiss ere she did go.

¹⁷He has ta'en a knife, baith lang and sharp,

And stabb'd that bonny bride to the heart.

¹⁸She had no' ridden half thro the town,

Until her heart's blude stain'd her gown.

¹⁹"Ride softly on," says the best young man,

"For I think our bonny bride looks pale and wan."

²⁰ "0 lead me gently up yon hill,

And I'll there sit down and make my will."

²¹"0 what will you leave to your father dear?"

"The silver-shod steed that brought me here."

²²"What will you leave to your mother dear?"

"My velvet pall and my silken gear."

²³"What will you leave to your sister Anne?"

"My silken scarf and my gowden fan."

²⁴"What will you leave to your sister Grace?"

"My bloody cloaths to wash and dress."

²⁵"What will you leave to your brother John?"

"The gallows-tree to hang him on."

²⁶"What will you leave to your brother John's wife?"

"The wilderness to end her life."

²⁷This ladie fair in her grave was laid,

And many a mass was o'er her said.

²⁸ But it would have made your heart right sail,

To see the bridegroom rive his haire.