The Twa Corbies

(Child, vol. i.)

AS I was walking all alane, I heard twa corbies making a mane; The tane unto the t’other say, “Where sall we gang and dine the day?”

“In behint yon auld fail dyke, I wot there lies a new-slain knight; And naebody kens that he lies there But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair.

“His hound is to the hunting gane, His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame, His lady’s ta’en another mate, So we may make our dinner sweet.

“Ye’ll sit on his white hause-bane, And I’ll pike out his bonny blue een; Wi ae lock o his gowden hair We’ll theek our nest when it grows bare.

“Mony a one for him makes mane, But nane sall ken whae he is gane, Oer his white banes, when they are bare, The wind sall blaw for evermair.”