"
But this, also, is a common feature. In "Professor Child and the
Ballad," Mr. W. M. Hart gives a list of Professor Child's notes on the
multiplicity of hands, which he, and every critic, detect in some
ballads with a genuinely antique substratum. {44a}
Colonel Elliot quotes, as in his opinion the best, stanzas viii., ix.,
x., xi., while he thinks xv., xviii. the worst. I give these stanzas -
VIII.
They lighted on the banks o' Tweed,
And blew their coals sae het,
And fired the Merse and Teviotdale,
All in an evening late.
IX.
As they fared up o'er Lammermoor,
They burned baith up and doun,
Until they came to a darksome house,
Some call it Leader Town.
X.
"Wha hauds this house?" young Edward cried,
"Or wha gi'est ower to me?"
A grey-hair'd knight set up his head,
And crackit right crousely:
XI.
"Of Scotland's king I haud my house,
He pays me meat and fee;
And I will keep my guid auld house,
While my house will keep me."
I cannot, I admit, find any fault with these stanzas: cannot see any
reason why they should not be traditional.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82