Sacred Texts Legends & Sagas England Index Previous Next
82.1 THERE was a knight, in a summer’s night, Was riding oer the lee, diddle An there he saw a bonny birdy, Was singing upon a tree. diddle 82.1b O wow for day! diddle An dear gin it were day! diddle Gin it were day, an gin I were away! For I ha na lang time to stay. diddle 82.2 ‘Make hast, make hast, ye gentle knight, What keeps you here so late? Gin ye kent what was doing at hame, I fear you woud look blate.’ 82.3 ‘O what needs I toil day an night, My fair body to kill, Whan I hae knights at my comman, An ladys at my will?’ 82.4 ‘Ye lee, ye lee, ye gentle knight, Sa loud’s I hear you lee; Your lady’s a knight in her arms twa That she lees far better nor the.’ 82.5 ‘Ye lee, you lee, you bonny birdy, How you lee upo my sweet! I will tak out my bonny bow, An in troth I will you sheet.’ 82.6 ‘But afore ye hae your bow well bent, An a’ your arrows yare, I will flee till another tree, Whare I can better fare.’ 82.7 ‘O whare was you gotten, and whare was ye clecked? My bonny birdy, tell me:’ ‘O I was clecked in good green wood, My bonny birdy, tell me:’ ‘O I was clecked in good green wood, Intill a holly tree; A gentleman my nest herryed, An ga me to his lady. 82.8 ‘Wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk He bade her feed me aft, An ga her a little wee simmer-dale wanny, To ding me sindle and saft. 82.9 ‘Wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk I wot she fed me nought, But wi a little wee simmer-dale wanny She dang me sair an aft: Gin she had deen as ye her bade, I woudna tell how she has wrought.’ 82.10 The knight he rade, and the birdy flew, The live-lang simmer’s night, Till he came till his lady’s bowr-door, Then even down he did light: The birdy sat on the crap of a tree, An I wot it sang fu dight. 82.11b ‘O wow for day! diddle An dear gin it were day! diddle Gin it were day, an gin I were away! For I ha na lang time to stay.’ diddle 82.12 ‘What needs ye lang for day, diddle. An wish that you were away? diddle Is no your hounds i my cellar, Eating white meal an gray?’ diddle 82.12b O wow, etc. 82.13 ‘Is nae your steed in my stable, Eating good corn an hay? An is nae your hawk i my perch-tree, Just perching for his prey? An is nae yoursel i my arms twa? Then how can ye lang for day?’ 82.14b ‘O wow for day! diddle An dear gin it were day! diddle ?? ‘O wow for day! diddle An dear gin it were day! diddle ?? ‘O wow for day! diddle An dear gin it were day! diddle For he that’s in bed wi anither man’s wife Has never lang time to stay.’ diddle 82.15 Then out the knight has drawn his sword, An straiked it oer a strae, An thro and thro the fa’se knight’s waste He gard cauld iron gae: An I hope ilk ane sal sae be servd That treats ane honest man sae.