The Ballads of Scotland (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 Excerpt: ...This is a nursery ballad, of which there are several versions. A very good one, under the title of Robin's Tesment, has been printed by Mr Buchan. G_UT)E day now, bonny Robin, How lang have you been here? O I've been bird about this bush This mair than twenty year! But now I am the sickliest bird That ever sate on brier; And I wad make my testament, Gudeman, if ye wad hear. Gar tak' this bonny neb o' mine, That picks upon the corn, And gie it to Duke Hamilton, To be a hunting-horn. Gar tak' these bonny feathers mine, The feathers o' my neb, Gie them to Lady Hamilton, To fill a feather-bed. 'Twill be a post and pillar gude, Will neither bend nor lay. And tak' this other leg o' mine And mend the brig o' Weir; 'Twill be a post and pillar gude, VViJl neither bend nor steer. Gar tak' these bonny feathers mine, The feathers o' my tail; Gie them the lads o' Hamilton, To be a threshing-flail. And tak' these bonny feathers mine, The feathers o' my breist, And gie to ony bonny lad That'll bring to me a priest! Then Robin turned him round about, E'en like a little king; IN the prefatorf note to Lord Beichan, I have alluded to the following ballad, as a probable instance of the appropriation of a minstrel theme, without any larceny of the words. I am strongly of opinion-that this is purely a Scottish ballad as regards the diction; and though it may have suffered somewhat in the course of tradition, it is by no means devoid of merit. Here, also, the Brownie appears as a tutelary genius.. YOUNG Bekie was as brave a knight As ever sail'd the sea; And heR...