FAIRIES.

And left his seven bairns to stay

Wi' their mither at home.

"I'll tell you, mither," quoth the auldest son, "An' ye wadna angry be;"

"Speak on, speak on, my bonnie boy, Ye'se nay be quarrelled by me."

"As we came from the hynd-hunting,
We heard fine music ring!"
"My blessings on ye, my bonnie boy!
I wish I'd been there, my lane!"

He's ta'en his mither by the hand-
His six brothers also;

And they are on through Elmond wood

As fast as they could go.

They wistna weel where they were gaun,
Wi' the stratlings o' their feet;
They wistna weel where they were gaun,
Till at her father's yett.

"I hae nae money in my pocket,
But royal rings hae three;

I'll gie them you, my auldest son,
And ye'll walk there for me:

"Ye'll gie the first to the proud porter,

And he will let you in;

Ye'll gie the next the butler boy,
And he will show you ben:

"Ye'll gie the next to the ministrell
That plays before the king;
He'll play success to the bonnie boy,
Cam through the wood his lane."

He gae the first the proud porter,
And he opened and let him in.
He gae the next to the butler-boy,
And he has shown him ben.

He gae the third to the ministrell

That play'd before the king;

And he play'd success to the bonnie boy
Cam through the wood his lane.

Now when he came before the king,
He fell low on his knee;

The king he turn'd him round about,
And the saut tear blint his e'e.

"Win up, win up, my bonnie boy!
Gang frae my companie!

Ye look sae like my dear dauchter,
My heart will burst in three."

"If I look like your dear dauchter,
A wonder it is none:

If I look like your dear dauchter,
I am her eldest son."

"Will ye tell me, my little wee boy, Where may my Margaret be?" "She's gist now standing at your yetts, And my six brothers her wi'."

"O where are a' my porter boys, That I pay meat and fee,

To open my yetts, baith wide and braid

Let her come in to me!"

When she came in before the king,

She fell low on her knee;

"Win up, win up, my dauchter dear,

This day ye'll dine wi' me."

"Ae bit I canna eat, father,

Nor ae drap can I drink,

Till I see my mither and sister dear,
For lang o' them I think."

When she came in before the queen,

She fell low on her knee:

"Win up, win up, my dauchter dear, This day ye'se dine wi' me."

"Ae bit I canna eat, mither,

Nor ae drop can I drink, Until I see my dear sisterFor lang o' her I think."

And when her sister dear cam in,
She hailed her courteouslie:

"Come ben, come ben, my sister dear, This day ye'se dine wi' me."

"Ae bit I canna eat, sister,

Nor ae drop can I drink, Until I see my dear husband, For lang o' him I think."

"O where are all my rangers bold,
That I pay meat and fee,

To search the forest far and wide,
And bring Etin to me?"

But out then spak the little wee boy,
"Na, na, this maunna be;
Without ye grant a free pardon,
I hope ye'll nae him see.”

"O here I grant a free pardon,

Weel sealed by my own hand,

And see make search for Hynde Etin,

As sure as e'er ye can."

They searched the country wide and braid

The forests far and near,

Till they found him into Elmond wood,

Tearing his yellow hair.

"Win up, win up, now, Hynde Etin

Win up and boune wi' me;

We're messengers sent frae the court

The king wants ye to see."

"O let him tak frae me the head,

Or hang me on a tree;

For sin I'se lost my dear Margaret,

Life's nae pleasure to me."

"Your head will nae be touched, Etin,

Nor hanged upon a tree;

Your leddy's in her father's court,

And all she wants is thee."

When in he came before the king,
He fell low on his knee;

"Win up, win up, now, Hynde Etin,
This day ye'se dine wi' me."

But as they were at dinner set,
The boy asked a boon:

"I wis we were in the good kirk,
For to get Christendoun.

"We hae liv'd in gude greenwood
This seven years and ane;
But a' this time, sin e'er I mind,
Were ne'er a church within."

"Your asking's nae sae great, my boy,
But granted it sall be;

This day to gude church ye sall gang,
And your mither sall gang ye wi'."

When unto the gude church she cam,
She at the door did stan';

She was sae sair sunk down wi' shame,
She waldna come far'r ben,

Then out it speaks the parish priest-
A good auld man was he:

"Come ben, come ben, my lily flouir,
Present your babes to me."

FAIRIES.

And if the house be foul,
With platter, dish, or bowl,
Up stairs we nimbly creep,

And find the sluts asleep:

There we pinch their armes and thighes;
None escapes, nor none espies

But if the house be swept,
And from uncleanness kept,
We praise the household maid,
And duly she is paid;

For we use before we goe,
To drop a tester in her shoe.

Upon a mushroom's head
Our table-cloth we spread;
A grain of rye or wheat
Is manchet which we eat;
Pearly drops of dew we drink
In acorn cups fill'd to the brink.

The brains of nightingales,
With unctuous fat of snails,
Between two cockles stew'd,

Is meat that's easily chew'd;
Tailes of wormes, and marrow of mice,
Do make a dish that's wonderous nice.

The grasshopper, gnat, and fly
Serve for our minstrelsie;
Grace said, we dance awhile,

And so the time beguile :

And if the moone doth hide her head,
The gloe-worm lights us home to bed.

On tops of dewie grasse

So nimbly we do passe,

The young and tender stalk

Ne'er bends when we do walk;

Yet in the morning may be seene
Where we the night before have beene.

Anonymous, about the year 1600.