English and Scottish Ballads
Chapter 18 : Janet has kilted her green kirtle, A little abune her knee; And she has braided her yel

Janet has kilted her green kirtle, A little abune her knee; And she has braided her yellow hair, A little abune her bree. 20

And when she came to Carterhaugh, She gaed beside the well; And there she fand his steed standing, But away was himsell.

She hadna pu'd a red red rose, 25 A rose but barely three; Till up and starts a wee wee man, At lady Janet's knee.

Says--"Why pu' ye the rose, Janet?

What gars ye break the tree? 30 Or why come ye to Carterhaugh, Withouten leave o' me?"--

Says--"Carterhaugh it is mine ain; My daddie gave it me; I'll come and gang to Carterhaugh, 35 And ask nae leave o' thee."

He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand, Among the leaves sae green; And what they did, I cannot tell-- The green leaves were between. 40

He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand, Among the roses red; And what they did, I cannot say-- She ne'er return'd a maid.

When she cam to her father's ha', 45 She looked pale and wan; They thought she'd dreed some sair sickness, Or been with some leman.

She didna comb her yellow hair, Nor make meikle o'er her head; 50 And ilka thing that lady took, Was like to be her deid.

It's four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the ba'; Janet, the wightest of them anes, 55 Was faintest o' them a'.

Four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the chess; And out there came the fair Janet, As green as any gra.s.s. 60

Out and spak an auld grey-headed knight, Lay o'er the castle wa',-- "And ever, alas! for thee, Janet, But we'll be blamed a'!"--

"Now haud your tongue, ye auld grey knight! 65 And an ill deid may ye die; Father my bairn on whom I will, I'll father nane on thee."--

Out then spak her father dear, And he spak meik and mild-- 70 "And ever, alas! my sweet Janet, I fear ye gae with child."--

"And if I be with child, father, Mysell maun bear the blame; There's ne'er a knight about your ha' 75 Shall hae the bairnie's name.

"And if I be with child, father, 'Twill prove a wondrous birth; For weel I swear I'm not wi' bairn To any man on earth. 80

"If my love were an earthly knight, As he's an elfin grey, I wadna gie my ain true love For nae lord that ye hae."--

She prink'd hersell and prinn'd hersell, 85 By the ae light of the moon, And she's away to Carterhaugh, To speak wi' young Tamlane.

And when she came to Carterhaugh, She gaed beside the well; 90 And there she saw the steed standing, But away was himsell.

She hadna pu'd a double rose, A rose but only twae, When up and started young Tamlane, 95 Says--"Lady, thou pu's nae mae!

"Why pu' ye the rose, Janet, Within this garden grene, And a' to kill the bonny babe, That we got us between?" 100

"The truth ye'll tell to me, Tamlane; A word ye mauna lie; Gin e'er ye was in haly chapel, Or sained in Christentie?"--

"The truth I'll tell to thee, Janet, 105 A word I winna lie; A knight me got, and a lady me bore, As well as they did thee.

"Randolph, Earl Murray, was my sire, Dunbar, Earl March, is thine; 110 We loved when we were children small, Which yet you well may mind.

"When I was a boy just turn'd of nine, My uncle sent for me, To hunt, and hawk, and ride with him, 115 And keep him companie.

"There came a wind out of the north, A sharp wind and a snell; And a deep sleep came over me, And frae my horse I fell. 120

"The Queen of Fairies keppit me, In yon green hill to dwell; And I'm a fairy, lyth and limb; Fair ladye, view me well.

"Then would I never tire, Janet, 125 In Elfish land to dwell; But aye, at every seven years, They pay the teind to h.e.l.l; And I am sae fat and fair of flesh, I fear 'twill be mysell[L130]. 130

"This night is Hallowe'en, Janet, The morn is Hollowday; And, gin ye dare your true love win, Ye hae nae time to stay.

"The night it is good Hallowe'en, 135 When fairy folk will ride; And they that wad their true-love win, At Miles Cross they maun bide."

"But how shall I thee ken, Tamlane?

Or how shall I thee knaw, 140 Amang so many unearthly knights, The like I never saw?"

"The first company that pa.s.ses by, Say na, and let them gae; The next company that pa.s.ses by, 145 Sae na, and do right sae; The third company that pa.s.ses by, Then I'll be ane o' thae.

"First let pa.s.s the black, Janet, And syne let pa.s.s the brown; 150 But grip ye to the milk-white steed, And pu' the rider down.

"For I ride on the milk-white steed, And aye nearest the town; Because I was a christen'd knight, 155 They gave me that renown.

"My right hand will be gloved, Janet, My left hand will be bare; And these the tokens I gie thee, Nae doubt I will be there. 160

"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet,[L161]

An adder and a snake; But had me fast, let me not pa.s.s, Gin ye wad buy me maik.

"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet, 165 An adder and an ask; They'll turn me in your arms, Janet, A bale that burns fast.

"They'll turn me in your arms, Janet, A red-hot gad o' airn; 170 But haud me fast, let me not pa.s.s, For I'll do you no harm.

"First dip me in a stand o' milk, And then in a stand o' water; But had me fast, let me not pa.s.s-- 175 I'll be your bairn's father.

"And, next, they'll shape me in your arms, A tod, but and an eel; But had me fast, nor let me gang, As you do love me weel. 180

"They'll shape me in your arms, Janet, A dove, but and a swan; And, last, they'll shape me in your arms A mother-naked man: Cast your green mantle over me-- 185 I'll be myself again."--

Gloomy, gloomy, was the night, And eiry was the way, As fair Janet, in her green mantle, To Miles Cross she did gae. 190

Betwixt the hours of twelve and one, A north wind tore the bent; And straight she heard strange elritch sounds Upon that wind which went.

About the dead hour o' the night, 195 She heard the bridles ring; And Janet was as glad o' that As any earthly thing.

Will o' Wisp before them went, Sent forth a twinkling light; 200 And soon she saw the Fairy bands All riding in her sight.

And first gaed by the black black steed, And then gaed by the brown; But fast she gript the milk-white steed, 205 And pu'd the rider down.

She pu'd him frae the milk-white steed, And loot the bridle fa'; And up there raise an erlish cry-- "He's won amang us a'!"-- 210

They shaped him in fair Janet's arms,[L208]

An esk, but and an adder; She held him fast in every shape-- To be her bairn's father.