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Lamkin

No: 93; variant: 93[X]

  1. Lamkin was as good a mason As ever liftit stane; He built to the laird o Lariston, But payment gat he nane.
  2. Oft he came, an ay he came, To that good lord's yett, But neither at dor nor window Ony entrance could get.
  3. Till ae wae an weary day Early he came, An it fell out on that day That good lord was frae hame.
  4. He bade steek dor an window, An prick them to the gin, Nor leave a little wee hole, Else Lamkin wad be in.
  5. Noorice steekit dor an window, She steekit them to the gin; But she left a little wee hole That Lamkin might win in.
  6. 'O where's the lady o this house?' Said cruel Lamkin; 'She's up the stair sleepin,' Said fause noorice then.
  7. 'How will we get her down the stair?' Said cruel Lamkin; 'We'l stogg the baby i the cradle,' Said fause noorice then.
  8. He stoggit, and she rockit, Till a' the floor swam, An a' the tors o the cradle Red wi blude ran.
  9. 'O still my son, noorise, O still him wi the kane;' 'He winna still, madam, Till Lariston come hame.'
  10. 'O still my son, noorice, O still him wi the knife;' 'I canna still him, madam, If ye sude tak my life.'
  11. 'O still my soon, noorice, O still him wi the bell;' 'He winna still, madam, Come see him yoursel.'
  12. Wae an weary rase she up, Slowly pat her on Her green claethin o the silk, An slowly came she down.
  13. The first step she steppit, It was on a stone; The first body she saw Was cruel Lamkin.
  14. 'O pity, pity, Lamkin, Hae pity on me!' 'Just as meikle pity, madam, As ye paid me o my fee.'
  15. 'I'll g' ye a peck o good red goud, Streekit wi the wand; An if that winna please ye, I'll heap it wi my hand.
  16. 'An if that winna please ye, O goud an o fee, I'll g' ye my eldest daughter, Your wedded wife to be.'
  17. 'Gae wash the bason, lady, Gae wash't an mak it clean, To kep your mother's heart's-blude, For she's of noble kin.'
  18. 'To kep my mother's heart's-blude I wad be right wae; O tak mysle, Lamkin, An let my mother gae.'
  19. 'Gae wash the bason, noorice, Gae wash't an mak it clean, To kep your lady's heart's-blude, For she's o noble kin.'
  20. 'To wash the bason, Lamkin, I will be right glad, For mony, mony bursen day About her house I've had.'
  21. But oh, what dule an sorrow Was about that lord's ha, When he fand his lady lyin As white as driven snaw!
  22. O what dule an sorrow Whan that good lord cam in, An fand his young son murderd, I the chimley lyin!