The Broom of Cowdenknows
No: 217; variant: 217J
- IT was a dark and a misty night,
. . . .
And by came a troop o gentlemen,
Said, Lassie, shew me the way.
- 'Oh well ken I by your silk mantle,
And by your grass-green sleeve,
That you are the maid of the Cowdenknows,
And may well seem to be.'
- 'I'm nae the maid of the Cowdenknows,
Nor ever think to be;
I am but ane of her hirewomen,
Rides aft in her companie.
- 'Oh well do I ken by your milk-white steed,
And by your merry winking ee,
That you are the laird of Lochinvar,
And may well seem to be.'
- 'I'm nae the laird of Lochinvar,
Nor may well seem to be;
But I am one of his merry young men,
And am oft in his companie.'
- 'The tod was among your sheep, father,
You may look forth and see;
And before he had taen tha lamb he's taen
I had rather he had taen three.'
- When twenty weeks were come and gane,
Twenty weeks and three,
The lassie she turned pale and wan
. . . .
- . . . .
And was caain out her father's kye,
When by came a troop of gentlemen,
Were riding along the way.
- 'Fair may it fa thee, weel-fa'rt may!
Wha's aught the bairn ye're wi?'
'O I hae a husband o my ain,
To father my bairn te.'
- 'You lie, you lie, you weel-far'd may,
Sae loud 's I hear you lie!
Do you mind the dark and the misty night
I was in the bught wi thee?'
- 'Oh well do I ken by your milk-white steed,
And by your merry winkin ee,
That you are the laird of Lochinvar,
That was in the bught wi me.'