Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
THERE lived a wife at Usher’s well, | |
And a wealthy wife was she; | |
She had three stout and stalwart sons, | |
And sent them o’er the sea. | |
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They hadna been a week from her, | 5 |
A week but barely ane, | |
When word came to the carline wife | |
That her three sons were gane. | |
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They hadna been a week from her, | |
A week but barely three, | 10 |
When word came to the carline wife | |
That her sons she’d never see. | |
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‘I wish the wind may never cease. | |
Nor fashes in the flood, | |
Till my three sons come hame to me, | 15 |
In earthly flesh and blood!’ | |
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It fell about the Martinmas, | |
When nights are lang and mirk, | |
The carline wife’s three sons came hame, | |
And their hats were o’ the birk. | 20 |
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It neither grew in syke nor ditch, | |
Nor yet in ony sheugh; | |
But at the gates o’ Paradise | |
That birk grew fair eneugh. | |
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‘Blow up the fire, my maidens! | 25 |
Bring water from the well! | |
For a’ my house shall feast this night, | |
Since my three sons are well.’ | |
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And she has made to them a bed, | |
She ‘s made it large and wide; | 30 |
And she ‘s ta’en her mantle her about, | |
Sat down at the bedside. | |
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Up then crew the red, red cock, | |
And up and crew the gray; | |
The eldest to the youngest said. | 35 |
”Tis time we were away.’ | |
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The cock he hadna craw’d but once, | |
And clapp’d his wings at a’, | |
When the youngest to the eldest said, | |
‘Brother, we must awa’. | 40 |
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‘The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, | |
The channerin’ worm doth chide; | |
Gin we be miss’d out o’ our place, | |
A sair pain we maun bide.’ | |
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‘Lie still, lie still but a little wee while, | 45 |
Lie still but if we may; | |
Gin my mother should miss us when she wakes, | |
She’ll go mad ere it be day.’ | |
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‘Fare ye weel, my mother dear! | |
Fareweel to barn and byre! | 50 |
And fare ye weel, the bonny lass | |
That kindles my mother’s fire!’ | |