There he has lived in bower wi' her, Till sax young sons to him she bare, But aye, as soon's a child was born, And brought them to his mither's care, Thus he has stay'd in bower wi' her But still his proffer she refused, Wi' my bird Coo-my-doo!" Her father sware an angry oath, That bird I'll surely kill." The bird was sitting in his cage, Then Coo-my-doo took flight and flew Beyond the raging sea, And lighted at his mither's castle, Upon a tower sae hie. The Queen his mither was walking out, And there she saw her darling son "Get dancers here to dance," she said, For here's my dear son Florentine "Get nae dancers to dance, mither, For the mither o' my seven sons, "Now tell me, dear son Florentine, What sall I do for you?" Tales of the Olden Time Tales of the Olden Time "Instead of dancers to dance, mither, Turn four-and-twenty well-wight men, 66 My seven sons in seven swans, Then, sighing, said the Queen to hersell, Instead o' dancers to dance a dance, Were four-and-twenty well-wight men Her seven sons in seven swans, This flock o' birds took flight and flew Beyond the raging sea; They landed near the Earl Mar's castle, Took shelter in every tree. They were a flock o' pretty birds, The weddin'eers they looked at them These birds flew up frae bush and tree, And, lighted on the ha'; And, when the wedding-train cam' forth, The storks they seized the boldest men, They flew around the bride-maidens, And, wi' the twinkling o' an ee, The bride and they were fled. There's ancient men at weddings been For naething could the company do, But they saw a flock o' pretty birds That took their bride away. OLD BALLAD. Tales of the Olden Time Tales of the Olden Time Chevy-Chace God prosper long our noble king, Our lives and safeties all; To drive the deer with hound and horn Earl Percy took his way; The child may rue that is unborn The stout Earl of Northumberland The chiefest harts in Chevy-Chace These tidings to Earl Douglas came, Who sent Earl Percy present word With fifteen hundred bowmen bold, Who knew full well in time of need |