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Oh, Allison Gross, that lives in yon tower |
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The ugliest witch in the north country |
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Has trysted me one day up in her bower |
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And many fair speech she made to me |
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She stroked my head and she combed my hair |
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And she set me down softly on her knee |
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Says, "Gin ye will be my leman so true |
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Sae many braw things as I would ye gi'" |
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She showed me a mantle of red scarlet |
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With golden flowers and fringes fine |
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Says, "Gin ye will be my leman so true |
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This goodly gift it shall be thine" |
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"Away, away, you ugly witch |
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Hold far away and let me be |
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I never will be your leman so true |
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And I wish I were out of your company" |
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She next brought me a sark of the softest silk |
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Well wrought with pearls about the band |
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Says, "Gin ye will be my ain true love |
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This goodly gift you shall command" |
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She showed me a cup of the good red gold |
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Well set with jewels so fair to see |
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Says, "Gin ye will be my leman sae true |
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This goodly gift I will ye gi'" |
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"Away, away, you ugly witch |
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Hold far away and let me be |
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For I wouldna aince kiss your ugly mouth |
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For all the gifts that you could gi'" |
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She's turned her right and round about |
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And thrice she blew on a grass-green horn |
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And she swore by the moon and the stars abeen |
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That she would gar me rue the day I was born |
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Then out she has taken a silver wand |
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And she's turned her three times round and round |
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She's muttered such words till my strength it failed |
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And I fell down senseless upon the ground |
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She's turned me into an ugly worm |
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And gard me toddle around the tree |
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And aye, on ilka Saturday night |
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My sister Maisry came to me |
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With silver basin and silver comb |
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To comb my head upon her knee |
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Before I had kissed her ugly mouth |
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I'd rather have toddled about the tree |
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But as it fell out on last Halloween |
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When the seely court was riding by |
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The queen lighted down on a rowan bank |
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Not far frae the tree where I wont to lie |
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She took me up in her milk white hand |
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And she's stroked me three times on her knee |
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She changed me again to my ain proper shape |
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And I nae more maun toddle about the tree |
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Child #35 |
