The Earl of Mar's Daughter

"It was intill a pleasant time,Upon a simmers day,The noble Earl Mar's daughterWent forth to sport and play.

And as she play'd and sportedBelow a green aik tree,There she saw a sprightly dooSet on a branch sae hie,"

It was intill a goodly time,The first morning in May,The bonny Earl of Mar's daughterWent forth hersell to play.

She's tane her to the bonny birkenshawAmang the fair green leaves;There she saw a bonny dooSat on the leaf o' the tree.

"O Coo-me-doo, my love sae true,Gin ye'll come down to me,I'll gie ye a cage of good red gowdFor a cage of greenshaw tree.

"Gowden hingers roun' your cage,And siller roun' your wa',I'll gar ye shine as bonny a birdAs the bonniest ower them a'."

She hadna weel these words spoken,Nor yet she hadna said,Till Coo-me-doo flew frae the leavesAnd lighted on her head.

And she's tane hame this bonny bird,Brought him to bower and ha';She's garred him shine the bonniest birdThat was out ower them a'.

When day was gane and night was comeIn ae chamber they were that tide;And there she saw a goodly young manStood straight up at her side.

"How cam ye in my bower-chamber,For sair it marvels me,For the bolts are made o' the good red gowdAnd the door-shafts of a good tree."

"O haud your tongue now, May Janet,And of your talking let me be;Mind ye not on your turtle-dooThat ye brought hame wi' ye?"

"O whatten a man are ye," she said,"Fu' sair this marvels me;I doubt ye are some keen warlockThat wons out ower the sea.

"O come ye here for ills?" she says,"Or come ye for my good?I doubt ye are some strong warlockThat wons out ower the flood."

"My mither is lady of strange landisStand far out ower the sea;She witched me to a birdie's shapeFor the love of your body.

"My mither is queen of the witch-landisLie baith to north and south;She witched me to a birdie's bodyFor the love of your goodly mouth.

"She can well of witches' work,She maketh baith mirth and meen;She witched me to a little bird's bodyFor the love of your twa grey een.

"It was a' for your yellow hairThat I cam ower the sea;And it was a' for your bonny mouthI took sic weird on me."

"Coo-me-doo, my love sae true,Nae mair frae me ye'se gae.The stanes shall fleet on the wan watersBefore we twain be twey.

"O Coo-me-doo, my love sae true,It's time we were abed.""O weel for you, my ain sweet thing,It's be as ye have said."

Then he's dwelt in her bower-chamberFu' sax lang years and ane,And seven fair sons she's borne to him,Fairer was there never nane.

The first bairn she's borne to himHe's tane him ower the sea;He's gien it to his auld mither,Bade well nourished it should be.

The seventh bairn she's borne to him,He's tane him frae his make;He's gien it to his auld mither,Bade nourice it for his sake.

And he's dwelt in her bower-chamberFu' six years thro' and three,Till there is comen an auld grey knightHer wed-lord for to be;She had nae will to his gowden giftsNor wad she to his fee

*****

Out then spak the bonny bird,He heard what they did say;Says: "Wae's be to you, ye auld grey man,For it's time I were away."

Then Coo-me-doo took flight and flewHe flew out ower the sea;He's lighted by his mither's castle-ha'On a tower of gold fu' hie.

*****