Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,

(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

Till she cam' to the mouth o' yon mill-dam, By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Out then cam' the miller's son

(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

And saw the fair maid soummin' in,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"O father, father, draw your dam!" (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

"There's either a mermaid or a swan

By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

The miller quickly drew the dam,
(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

And there he found a drowned womán,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Round about her middle sma'

(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

There went a gowden girdle sma'—
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

All amang her yellow hair

(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

A string o' pearls was twisted rare
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

On her fingers, lily-white,

(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

The jewel-rings were shining bright-
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And by there cam' a harper fine, (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

Harpèd to nobles when they dine

By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And when he looked that lady on, (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

He sighed and made a heavy moan,

By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

He's ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair, (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

And wi' them strung his harp sae rare,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

He went into her father's hall,

(Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

And played his harp before them all,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And sune the harp sang loud and clear, (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

"Fareweel, my father and mither dear!" By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And neist when the harp began to sing, (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

'Twas "Fareweel, sweetheart!" said the stringBy the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And then, as plain as plain could be, (Binnorie, O Binnorie!)

"There sits my sister who drownèd me!". By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Author Unknown.

THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL

Τ

HERE lived a wife at Usher's Well,

And a wealthy wife was she;

She had three stout and stalwart sons,
And sent them o'er the sea.

They hadna been a week from her,
A week but barely ane,

When word came to the carline wife
That her three sons were gane.

They had not been a week from her,
A week but barely three,
When word came to the carline wife
That her sons she'd never see.

"I wish the wind may never cease,
Nor fishes in the flood,

Till my three sons come hame to me
In earthly flesh and blood!"

It fell about the Martinmas,

When nights are lang and mirk,
The carline wife's three sons came hame,
And their hats were o' the birk.

It neither grew in syke nor ditch,
Nor yet in ony sheugh;

But at the gates o' Paradise
That birk grew fair eneugh.

"Blow up the fire, my maidens!
Bring water from the well!
For a' my house shall feast this night,
Since my three sons are well!"

And she has made to them a bed,
She's made it large and wide:
And she's ta'en her mantle her about;
Sat down at the bedside.

Up then crew the red, red cock,
And up and crew the gray:
The eldest to the youngest said,
'Tis time we were away!"

The cock he hadna craw'd but once,
And clapp'd his wings at a',

Whan the youngest to the eldest said,
"Brother, we must awa'.

"The cock doth craw, the day doth daw

The channerin' worm doth chide:

If we be miss'd out o' our place,
A sair pain we maun bide.

"Fare ye well, my mother dear! Farewell to barn and byre! And fare ye weel, the bonny lass

That kindles my mother's fire!"

Author Unknown.

LORD LOVEL

ORD LOVEL he stood at his castle-gate,
Combing his milk-white steed;

L

When up came Lady Nancy Belle,
To wish her lover good speed, speed,

To wish her lover good speed.

"Where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said; "Oh! where are you going?" said she.

"I'm going, my Lady Nancy Belle,

Strange countries for to see, to see,

Strange countries for to see."

"When will you be back, Lord Lovel?" she said;

"Oh! when will you come back?” said she.— "In a year or two or three, at the most,

I'll return to my fair Nancy-cy,

I'll return to my fair Nancy."

But he had not been gone a year and a day,

Strange countries for to see,

When languishing thoughts came into his head, Lady Nancy Belle he would go see, see, Lady Nancy Belle he would go see.

So he rode and he rode on his milk-white steed,

Till he came to London town;

And there he heard St. Pancras's bells,

And the people all mourning round, round,
And the people all mourning round.

"Oh! what is the matter?» Lord Lovel he said;
"Oh! what is the matter?" said he.-
"A lord's lady is dead," a woman replied,
"And some call her Lady Nancy-cy,
And some call her Lady Nancy."

So he ordered the grave to be opened wide,
And the shroud he turnèd down;

And there he kissed her clay-cold lips,

Till the tears came trickling down, down,
Till the tears came trickling down.

Lady Nancy she died as it might be to-day,
Lord Lovel he died as to-morrow;

Lady Nancy she died out of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow, sorrow,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow.

Lady Nancy was laid in St. Pancras's church,
Lord Lovel was laid in the choir;

And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of her lover's a brier, brier,

And out of her lover's a brier.

They grew, and they grew, to the church-steeple top.
And then they could grow no higher:

So there they entwined in a true-lovers' knot,
For all lovers true to admire-mire,

For all lovers true to admire.

Author Unknown.

IN

BARBARA ALLEN'S CRUELTY

N SCARLET towne, where I was borne,
There was a faire maid dwellin,
Made every youth crye, Wel-awaye!
Her name was Barbara Allen.

All in the merrye month of May,

When greene buds they were swellin, Yong Jemmye Grove on his death-bed lay, For love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his man unto her then,

To the towne where shee was dwellin:-
"You must come to my master deare,
Giff your name be Barbara Allen.

"For death is printed on his face,
And ore his hart is stealin:
Then haste away to comfort him,
O lovelye Barbara Allen.” —

"Though death be printed on his face,
And ore his harte is stealin,
Yet little better shall he bee
For bonny Barbara Allen."

So slowly, slowly, she came up,
And slowly she came nye him;