Keeping time, time, time, As he knells, knells, knells, In a happy Runic rhyme, To the rolling of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells To the tolling of the bells- Of the bells, bells, bells, bells- To the moaning and the groaning of the bells. "And whatna hauld sall we draw to, My merry men and me? We will gae to the house of Rodes, To see that fair ladye." She had nae sooner buskit hersel', Till Edom o' Gordon and his men They had nae sooner sitten doun, Till Edom o' Gordon and his men The ladye ran up to her touir heid, As sune as he saw the ladye fair, "Come down to me, ye ladye fair, "I winna come down, ye fause Gordon ; I winna come doun to thee; I winna forsake my ain deir lord, That is sae far frae me." "Gie up your house, ye fair ladye, Gie up your house to me; Or I will burn yoursel' therein, "I winna gie 't up, thou fause Gordon, Though thou suld burn mysel' therein, "Set fire to the house," quoth fause Gordon, "Sin' better may na be; And I will burn hersel' therein, But and her babies thrie." "And ein wae worth ye, Jock, my man: I paid ye weil your fee; Why pu ye oot my grund-wa-stane, Lets in the reek to me? "And ein wae worth ye, Jock, my man! I paid you weil your hyre ; Why pu you oot my grund-wa-stane, "Ye paid me well my hire, lady, Ye paid me well my fee; But now I'm Edom of Gordon's man- Oh then bespake her youngest son, Sat on the nurse's knee, "Dear mother, gie ower your house," he says, "For the reek it worries me." "I winna gie up my house, my dear, To nae sic traitor as he; Come weel, come wae, my jewel fair, Ye maun tak share wi' me." Oh then bespake her daughter deir; They row'd her in a pair o' sheets, Oh bonnie, bonnie was her mouth, Then wi' his speir he turn'd her ower, Oh gin her face was wan! He said, "You are the first that eir I wist alyve again." He turn'd her ower and ower again, Oh gin her skin was whyte! He said, "I micht hae spared thy lyfe, To been some man's delyte. "Backe and boun, my merrie men all; For ill dooms I do guess ; I canna luik on that bonnie face, |