Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.
The Wife of Ushers Well
By AnonymousT
And a wealthy wife was she,
She had three stout and stalwart sons,
And sent them o’er the sea.
A week but barely ane,
When word came to the carline wife,
That her three sons were gane.
A week but barely three,
When word came to the carline wife,
That her sons she ’d never see.
Nor fashes in the flood,
Till my three sons come hame to me,
In earthly flesh and blood.”
When nights are lang and mirk,
The carline wife’s three sons came hame,
And their hats were o’ the birk.
Nor yet in ony sheugh;
But at the gates o’ Paradise,
That birk grew fair eneugh.
“Blow up the fire, my maidens!
Bring water from the well!
For a’ my house shall feast this night,
Since my three sons are well.”
She ’s made it large and wide;
And she ’s ta’en her mantle her about,
Sat down at the bedside.
Up then crew the red red cock,
And up and crew the gray;
The eldest to the youngest said,
“’T is time we were away.”
And clapped his wings at a’,
Whan the youngest to the eldest said,
“Brother, we must awa.
The channerin’ worm doth chide;
Gin we be mist out o’ our place,
A sair pain we maun bide.
Fareweel to barn and byre!
And fare ye weel, the bonny lass,
That kindles my mother’s fire.”