ancient poems-第13节

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He's　towed　her　up；　he's　towed　her　down；　He's　gien　her　a　richt　down　fa'；　Till　every　rib　i'　the　auld　wife's　side；　Played　nick　nack　on　the　wa'；　wa'；　Played　nick　nack　on　the　wa'。

O！　the　blue；　the　bonny；　bonny　blue；　And　I　wish　the　blue　may　do　weel；　And　every　auld　wife　that's　sae　jealous　o'　her　dochter；　May　she　get　a　good　keach　i'　the　creel；　creel；　May　she　get　a　good　keach　i'　the　creel！



Ballad：　THE　MERRY　BROOMFIELD；　OR；　THE　WEST　COUNTRY　WAGER。



＇THIS　old　West…country　ballad　was　one　of　the　broadsides　printed　at　　the　Aldermary　press。　　We　have　not　met　with　any　older　impression；　　though　we　have　been　assured　that　there　are　black…letter　copies。　　In　　Scott's　MINSTRELSY　OF　THE　SCOTTISH　BORDER　is　a　ballad　called　the　　BROOMFIELD　HILL；　it　is　a　mere　fragment；　but　is　evidently　taken　from　　the　present　ballad；　and　can　be　considered　only　as　one　of　the　many　　modern　antiques　to　be　found　in　that　work。＇


A　NOBLE　young　squire　that　lived　in　the　West；　He　courted　a　young　lady　gay；　And　as　he　was　merry　he　put　forth　a　jest；　A　wager　with　her　he　would　lay。

'A　wager　with　me；'　the　young　lady　replied；　'I　pray　about　what　must　it　be？　If　I　like　the　humour　you　shan't　be　denied；　I　love　to　be　merry　and　free。'

Quoth　he；　'I　will　lay　you　a　hundred　pounds；　A　hundred　pounds；　aye；　and　ten；　That　a　maid　if　you　go　to　the　merry　Broomfield；　That　a　maid　you　return　not　again。'

'I'll　lay　you　that　wager；'　the　lady　she　said；　Then　the　money　she　flung　down　amain；　'To　the　merry　Broomfield　I'll　go　a　pure　maid；　The　same　I'll　return　home　again。'

He　covered　her　bet　in　the　midst　of　the　hall；　With　a　hundred　and　ten　jolly　pounds；　And　then　to　his　servant　he　straightway　did　call；　For　to　bring　forth　his　hawk　and　his　hounds。

A　ready　obedience　the　servant　did　yield；　And　all　was　made　ready　o'er　night；　Next　morning　he　went　to　the　merry　Broomfield；　To　meet　with　his　love　and　delight。

Now　when　he　came　there；　having　waited　a　while；　Among　the　green　broom　down　he　lies；　The　lady　came　to　him；　and　could　not　but　smile；　For　sleep　then　had　closed　his　eyes。

Upon　his　right　hand　a　gold　ring　she　secured；　Drawn　from　her　own　fingers　so　fair；　That　when　he　awaked　he　might　be　assured　His　lady　and　love　had　been　there。

She　left　him　a　posie　of　pleasant　perfume；　Then　stepped　from　the　place　where　he　lay；　Then　hid　herself　close　in　the　besom　of　broom；　To　hear　what　her　true　love　did　say。

He　wakened　and　found　the　gold　ring　on　his　hand；　Then　sorrow　of　heart　he　was　in；　'My　love　has　been　here；　I　do　well　understand；　And　this　wager　I　now　shall　not　win。

'Oh！　where　was　you；　my　goodly　goshawk；　The　which　I　have　purchased　so　dear；　Why　did　you　not　waken　me　out　of　my　sleep；　When　the　lady；　my　love；　was　here？'

'O！　with　my　bells　did　I　ring；　master；　And　eke　with　my　feet　did　I　run；　And　still　did　I　cry；　pray　awake！　master；　She's　here　now；　and　soon　will　be　gone。'

'O！　where　was　you；　my　gallant　greyhound；　Whose　collar　is　flourished　with　gold；　Why　hadst　thou　not　wakened　me　out　of　my　sleep；　When　thou　didst　my　lady　behold？'

'Dear　master；　I　barked　with　my　mouth　when　she　came；　And　likewise　my　collar　I　shook；　And　told　you　that　here　was　the　beautiful　dame；　But　no　notice　of　me　then　you　took。'

'O！　where　wast　thou；　my　servingman；　Whom　I　have　clothed　so　fine？　If　you　had　waked　me　when　she　was　here；　The　wager　then　had　been　mine。'

In　the　night　you　should　have　slept；　master；　And　kept　awake　in　the　day；　Had　you　not　been　sleeping　when　hither　she　came；　Then　a　maid　she　had　not　gone　away。'

Then　home　he　returned　when　the　wager　was　lost；　With　sorrow　of　heart；　I　may　say；　The　lady　she　laughed　to　find　her　love　crost；　…　This　was　upon　midsummer…day。

'O；　squire！　I　laid　in　the　bushes　concealed；　And　heard　you；　when　you　did　complain；　And　thus　I　have　been　to　the　merry　Broomfield；　And　a　maid　returned　back　again。

'Be　cheerful！　be　cheerful！　and　do　not　repine；　For　now　'tis　as　clear　as　the　sun；　The　money；　the　money；　the　money　is　mine；　The　wager　I　fairly　have　won。'



Ballad：　SIR　JOHN　BARLEYCORN。



＇THE　West…country　ballad　of　SIR　JOHN　BARLEYCORN　is　very　ancient；　　and　being　the　only　version　that　has　ever　been　sung　at　English　　merry…makings　and　country　feasts；　can　certainly　set　up　a　better　　claim　to　antiquity　than　any　of　the　three　ballads　on　the　same　　subject　to　be　found　in　Evans's　OLD　BALLADS；　viz。；　JOHN　BARLEYCORN；　　THE　LITTLE　BARLEYCORN；　and　MAS　MAULT。　　Our　west…country　version　　bears　the　greatest　resemblance　to　THE　LITTLE　BARLEYCORN；　but　it　is　　very　dissimilar　to　any　of　the　three。　　Burns　altered　the　old　ditty；　　but　on　referring　to　his　version　it　will　be　seen　that　his　　corrections　and　additions　want　the　simplicity　of　the　original；　and　　certainly　cannot　be　considered　improvements。　　The　common　ballad　　does　not　appear　to　have　been　inserted　in　any　of　our　popular　　collections。　　SIR　JOHN　BARLEYCORN　is　very　appropriately　sung　to　the　　tune　of　STINGO。　　See　POPULAR　MUSIC；　p。　305。＇


THERE　came　three　men　out　of　the　West；　Their　victory　to　try；　And　they　have　taken　a　solemn　oath；　Poor　Barleycorn　should　die。

They　took　a　plough　and　ploughed　him　in；　And　harrowed　clods　on　his　head；　And　then　they　took　a　solemn　oath；　Poor　Barleycorn　was　dead。

There　he　lay　sleeping　in　the　ground；　Till　rain　from　the　sky　did　fall：　Then　Barleycorn　sprung　up　his　head；　And　so　amazed　them　all。

There　he　remained　till　Midsummer；　And　looked　both　pale　and　wan；　Then　Barleycorn　he　got　a　beard；　And　so　became　a　man。

Then　they　sent　men　with　scythes　so　sharp；　To　cut　him　off　at　knee；　And　then　poor　little　Barleycorn；　They　served　him　barbarously。

Then　they　sent　men　with　pitchforks　strong　To　pierce　him　through　the　heart；　And　like　a　dreadful　tragedy；　They　bound　him　to　a　cart。

And　then　they　brought　him　to　a　barn；　A　prisoner　to　endure；　And　so　they　fetched　him　out　again；　And　laid　him　on　the　floor。

Then　they　set　men　with　holly　clubs；　To　beat　the　flesh　from　his　bones；　But　the　miller　he　served　him　worse　than　that；　For　he　ground　him　betwixt　two　stones。

O！　Barleycorn　is　the　choicest　grain　That　ever　was　sown　on　land；　It　will　do　more　than　any　grain；　By　the　turning　of　your　hand。

It　will　make　a　boy　into　a　man；　And　a　man　into　an　ass；　It　will　change　your　gold　into　silver；　And　your　silver　into　brass。

It　will　make　the　huntsman　hunt　the　fox；　That　never　wound　his　horn；　It　will　bring　the　tinker　to　the　stocks；　That　people　may　him　scorn。

It　will　put　sack　into　a　glass；　And　claret　in　the　can；　And　it　will　cause　a　man　to　drink　Till　he　neither　can　go　nor　stand。



Ballad：　BLOW　THE　WINDS；　I…HO！



＇THIS　Northumbrian　ballad　is　of　great　antiquity；　and　bears　　considerable　resemblance　to　THE　BAFFLED　KNIGHT；　OR；　LADY'S　POLICY；　　inserted　in　Percy's　RELIQUES。　　It　is　not　in　any　popular　collection。　　　In　the　broadside　from　which　it　is　here　printed；　the　title　and　　chorus　are　given；　BLOW　THE　WINDS；　I…O；　a　form　common　to　many　　ballads　and　songs；　but　only　to　those　of　great　antiquity。　　Chappell；　　in　his　POPULAR　MUSIC；　has　an　example　in　a　song　as　old　as　1698：…

'Here's　a　health　to　jolly　Bacchus；　I…ho！　　I…ho！　　I…ho！'

and　in　another　well…known　old　catch　the　same　form　appears：…

'A　pye　sat　on　a　pear…tree；　I…ho；　I…ho；　I…ho。'

'Io！'　or；　as　we　find　it　given　in　these　lyrics；　'I…ho！'　was　an　　ancient　form　of　acclamation　or　triumph　on　joyful　occasions　and　　anniversaries。　　It　is　common；　with　slight　variations；　to　different　　languages。　　In　the　Gothic；　for　example；　Iola　signifies　to　make　　merry。　　It　has　been　supposed　by　some　etymologists　that　the　word　　'yule'　is　a　corruption　of　'Io！'＇


THERE　was　a　shepherd's　son；　He　kept　sheep　on　yonder　hill；　He　laid　his　pipe　and　his　crook　aside；　And　there　he　slept　his　fill。

And　blow　the　winds；　I…ho！　Sing；　blow　the　winds；　I…ho！　Clear　away　the　morning　dew；　And　blow　the　winds；　I…ho！

He　looked　east；　and　he　looked　west；　He　took　another　look；　And　there　he　spied　a　lady　gay；　Was　dipping　in　a　brook。

She　said；　'Sir；　don't　touch　my　mantle；　Come；　let　my　clothes　alone；　I　will　give　you　as　much　money　As　you　can　carry　home。'

'I　will　not　touch　your　mantle；　I'll　let　your　clothes　alone；　I'll　take　you　out　of　the　water　clear；　My　dear；　to　be　my　own。'

He　did　not　touch　her　mantle；　He　let　her　clothes　alone；　But　he　took　her　from　the　clear　water；　And　all　to　be　his　own。

He　set　her　on　a　milk…white　steed；　Himself　upon　another；　And　there　they　rode　along　the　road；　Like　sister；　and　like　brother。

And　as　they　rode　along　the　road；　He　spied　some　cocks　of　hay；　'Yonder；'　he　says；　'is　a　lovely　place　For　men　and　maids　to　play！'

And　when　they　came　to　her　father's　gate；　She　pulled　at　a　ring；　And　ready　was　the　proud　porter　For　to　let　the　lady　in。

And　when　the　gates　were　open；　This　lady　jumped　in；　She　says；　'You　are　a　fool　without；　And　I'm　a　maid　within。

'Good　morrow　to　you；　modest　boy；　I　thank　you　for　your　care；　If　you　had　been　what　you　should　have　been；　I　would　not　have　left　you　there。

'There　is　a　horse　in　my　father's　stable；　He　stands　beyond　the　thorn；　He　shakes　his　head　above　the　trough；　But　dares　not　prie　the　corn。

'There　is　a　bird　in　my　father's　flock；　A　double　comb　he　wears；　He　flaps　his　wings；　and　crows　full　loud；　But　a　capon's　crest　he　bears。

'There　is　a　flower　in　my　father's　garden；　They　call　it　marygold；　The　fool　that　will　not　when　he　may；　He　shall　not　when　he　wold。'

Said　the　shepherd's　son；　as　he　doft　his　shoon；　'My　feet　they　shall