Elfin Knight- Mrs. Martha Reid (Perth) 1955
[Generic title. School of Scottish Studies- Collinson, Henderson; also Bronson IV appendix. The first refrain is "And it's ho, ho ho, the wind'll blow" and it's the only one used, randomly. See the later recordings of Peter Shepheard from 1967
R. Matteson 2018]
Elfin Knight- sung by Mrs. Martha Reid ("Peasie") of Birnam, Perthshire, 1955 from Collinson and Henderson
O fetch to my eye a holland shirt,
Aye without any needle or needle work.
For you wash it in yon draw-well,
Where there never was water nor one drap o'dew fell.
For yo'll hing it ow'r yon thorn-haw bush,
Wher there never was a thron since Adam was born.
And it's ho, ho ho, the wind'll blow.
For you'll fetch to me two acres o' land,
Between the salt sea and thon salt sea strand.
For you'll plou' it up with the Divil tap's horn,
You will sow it o'er with one grain o' corn,
And it's ho, ho ho, the wind'll blow.
For you will ripen it up with one blink o' sun,
You'll cut it up with a pen-hen's feather,
You'll snook it up with the sting of an ether [adder],
And it's ho, ho ho, the wind'll blow.
You'll yoke two sparrows in a match-box,
An' cart it home to your own farmyard,
And it's ho, ho ho, the wind'll blow.
For surely when you pit sich tasks on me,
I'll surely pit, aye, as hard on you.
How many ships sails in the forest?
And how many strawberries grows on the salt sea?
And it's ho, ho ho, the wind'll blow.
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Elfin Knight (Collated version) from Duncan Johnstone and his wife Martha (Peasie) Reid, 1967
'You'll make to me aye a Holland shirt,
Withoot one steke of needlework.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'For ye'll wash it into yon draw well,
Where there never was water nor one drop o dew fell.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'For ye'll dry it o'er yon thorn-haw bush,
Where there never was thorn since Adam was born.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'Since you've played so hard on me,
I'll surely play so hard on you.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'For you'll fetch to me two acres of land,
Betwixt the salt sea an' the salt sea strand.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'You'll ploo it up with a dooble tup's horn,
You will sow it over with one grain of corn,
An' you'll dry it up with one blink o sun.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'You will cut it down with a peahen's feather,
An' you'll stook it up by the stang o an ether.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
'For you'll yoke two sparrers in a match box,
An' you'll cairt it home to our own fairm yard.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.
Notes and Archival text
Duncan Johnstone and his wife Martha (Peasie) Reid lived in part of the large house of Torwood in Birnam just across the River Tay from Dunkeld. Their upper flat was reached by an outside stair in the old Scottish style, other flats in the house occupied by other members of their extended traveller family. Recorded by Peter and Lena Shepheard.
PS: I was pointed in the direction of Duncan and Peasie by Sheila Stewart of the Blairgowrie Stewart family who told me of Peasie's repertoire of old ballads. When I first visited them (30 June 1967) I had recently recorded John McDonald and his son Ronnie's version of the ballad while camping at the Blairgowrie berryfields so I naturally asked about it and both Peasie and Duncan knew the ballad. Here is how their version(s) came out [Spr 67.4.10/11]:
Peasie(Recited):
'Ye'll cut it doun wi a peahen's feather.'
Duncan (Recited):
'Ye'll thrash it agin the high castle wa,
An' for your life don't let one pile fa.' [a pile = a grain of corn
Peasie (Recited):
'Ye'll fetch tae me aye a Holland shirt,
Withoot either seam or needle work.'
Peasie (Sung):
'Ye'll fetch tae me aye a Holland shirt,
Aye 'ithout either seam or needle work;
For ye'll wash it into yon draw well,
Where there never was water nor one drop o dew fell,
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.'
'For ye'll dry it o'er yon thorn-haw bush,
Where there never was thorn since Adam was born,
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.'
'For you'll fetch to me two acres of land,
Between yon salt sea an' thon salt sea strand,
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.'
'For you'll ploo it up with a dooble tup's horn,
You will sow it over with one grain of corn,
An' you'll dry it up with one blink o sun,
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.'
'You will cut it down with a peahen's feather,
An' you'll stook it up by the stang o an ether,
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.'
'For you'll yoke two sparrers in a match box,
An' you'll cairt it home to our own fairm yard,
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.'
'For it's surely you'll pit such hard on me,
Surely I'll pit such hard on you.
'How many strawberries grows on the salt sea,
An' how many ships sails in a forest?'
Peasie: That's how I have it? I havenae the air you see. (Certainly she has a fairly unconstant air, but see Linda Williamson's thesis on this subject!)
Duncan (Recited):
'You'll find me two acre o marrable land,
Betwixt the salt sea an' the salt sea strand.'
'You'll ploo it up wi a double sow's horn,
You'll sow it all over wi one pile of corn.'
'You'll thrash it against yon high castle wall,
An' for your life don't let one seed fall.'
Peasie: It's supposed to be him that's doun below (i.e. the Devil) that's giving this woman a task.
Duncan (Recited): On a later visit (15 Sep 1967) Duncan recited his version more fully (67.5.28):
'You'll make to me three Holland shirts,
Withoot one steke of needlework.' [steke = stitch
'You'll dry it on yon high thorn tree, [high thorn = hawthorn ?
Where there never was a tree (thorn?) since Adam was born.'
'Since you've played so hard on me,
I'll surely play so hard on you.'
'You'll find me three acre o marrable land,
A-quixt the salt sea an' the salt sea strand.'
'You'll plough it all over with a dooble sow's horn,
An' you'll sow it all over with one pile of corn.'
'You'll thrass (thrash) it agin yon high castle wall,
And for your life don't let one seed fall.'
Learned by Duncan from his father. Duncan said his version, here recited, did not have a burden or chorus of the form 'Blaw, blaw, blaw ye wynds blaw' (such as from Ronnie and John McDonald) but he says 'like Peasie' i.e.:
'You'll make to me three Holland shirts,
Withoot one steke of needlework.'
An' it's ha, ha the wynd'll blow.