No. 280: The Beggar-Laddie
[There are no known US or Canadian traditional versions of this ballad. See also: No. 279. The Jolly Begger and the closely related No. 279A, The Gaberlunyie-Man. The Roud Index (attached to Recordings & Info page) lists versions of 279 and 279A mixed with this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (Footnotes appear at the end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A-E
5. End-Notes
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 280. The Beggar-Laddie
A. Roud No. 119: The Beggar-Laddie (142 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 280. The Beggar-Laddie (Bronson's music examples and texts)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A-E)
Child's Narrative: 280. The Beggar-Laddie
A. 'The Shipherd Boy,' "Old Lady's Collection," No 35.
B. 'The Beggar's Dawtie,' Murison Manuscript, p. 85.
C. 'The Beggar-Laddie,' Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 249.
D. 'The Gaberlunzie Laddie, or, The Beggar's Bride,' Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 100.
E. 'The Shepherd's Bonny Lassy,' Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 249, II, 17.
This is a sort of 'Gaberlunyie-Man' with a romantic conclusion, resembling that of 'Lizie Lindsay.' A pretended beggar, who is for the time acting as shepherd's swain, induces a young lady, or young woman of good standing, to follow him as his beggar-lassie. They come to a hall (his father's, A, D, E, brother's, C), he knocks loudly, four and twenty gentlemen welcome him in, and as many ladies the lassie, and she is thenceforth a knight's or squire's lady.
There is corruption in all the copies,[1] and the rhyme is frequently lost. A 2 (B 3, C 3, D 7, B 5) is taken almost bodily from 'The Gaberlunyie-Man,' 10. D is not the better for being a mixture of three copies. D 4 anticipates the conclusion, and it is inconceivable that any meddler should not have seen this. D 14 is caught from 'The Jolly Beggar.'
Footnotes:
1. B 43, As Jessie loved the cups o gold,
C 51, As Judas loved a piece of gold,
D 33, As Jesse lovd the fields of gold;
the original reading being as in
A 33, As Jason loied his flice of gould.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
This resembles the well-known rhymed tale of The Gaberlunyie-Man, but has a romantic conclusion, resembling that of 'Lizie Lindsay' (No, 226).
Child's Ballad Texts
'The Shipherd Boy'- Version A; Child 280 The Beggar-Laddie
The "Old Lady's Collection," No 35; north of Scotland.
1 Shiperd-boy, what is yer trade?
Or what way do ye wine yer bread?
Or what way do ye wine yer bread,
Fan the kipeng nout gies over?
2 'Spindels an forls it is my trade,
An bits o sticks to them who need,
Whilk is a gentell trade indeed;
Bony lassie, cane ye lea me?'
3 'I lea you as I supos
Rachell loved Jacob of old,
As Jason loied his flice of gould,
Sae dearly do I lea ye.
4 'Ye cast off yer clouty coat,
An ye pitt one my scarlett cloke,
An I will follou you just att the back,
Becass ye are a bonny laddie.'
5 He cust off his cloutty coat,
An he patt on her scarlet cloke,
An she folloued him just att the back,
Becaus he was a bonny laddie.
6 They gaed on, an forder on,
Till they came to yon borrous-toun;
She bought a loaf an they both satt doun,
Bat she ate no we her laddie.
7 They gaed on, an forder one,
Till they came to the nest borrous-toun;
I wat the lassie louked doun,
For the following of her laddie.
8 'O if I wer on the head of yon hill,
Ther I wad greet my fill,
For the follouing of my laddie.'
9 'O had yer toung, my dearest dear,
I ill ha ye back as I brought ye hear,
For I canna bear yer morning.'
10 'O had yer toung, my dearest dear,
I will gae throu the warld baith far an near,
Becaus ye'r a bonny ladie.'
11 They gad on, an forder on,
Till they came to his father's haa,
An he knoked ther fue loudly.
12 'O had ye hand, my dear[est] dear,
An dou not knoke sae loudly,
For fear they sud be angry.'
13 Four-an-tuenty gentelmen
They conved the beager ben,
An as mony gay lads
Conved the beager's lassie.
14 His brother lead her throu the haa:
'I wis, brother, we had beagged a',
For sick a bonny lassie.'
15 That smae night she was bedded,
An the nist morning she was wedded;
She came to gued by grait misgiding,
By the follouing of her laddie.
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'The Beggar's Dawtie'- Version B; Child 280 The Beggar-Laddie
Murison Manuscript, p. 85; from Aberdeenshire.
1 'Twas on a day in the month o June
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
When Phoebus shines sae clearly.
2 . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
She says, My dear, what is your trade
When thiggin ye give over?
3 'Spinls and forls is my trade,
Wi bits o sticks I win my bread,
An O it is a winnin trade;
Bonnie lassie, can ye loo me?'
An O it is, etc.
4 'O I can love ye manyfold,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
And as Jessie loved the cups o gold;
My dear, can ye believe me?'
As Jessie, etc.
5 'It's ye'll tak aff the robes o red,
An ye'll pit on the beggin-weed,
An ye'll gang wi me an ye'll beg your bread,
An ye'll be the beggar's dawtie.'
6 When they cam to yon borough-toon,
They bocht a loaf an they baith sat doon,
They bocht a loaf an they baith sat doon,
An the lassie ate wi her laddie.
7 When they cam to yon grassy hill,
Where spotted flocks do feed their fill,
'I'll sit me doon an I'll greet a while,
For the followin o my laddie.'
8 'It's ye'll tak aff yer beggin-weed,
An ye'll pit on the goons o red,
An ye-ll gang ye back the road ye cam
For I canna bide yer greetin.'
9 'Betide me weel, betide me woe,
It's wi the beggar an I'll go,
An I'll follow him through frost an snow,
An I'll be the beggar's dawtie.'
10 When they cam to yonder ha,
He knockit loud an sair did ca;
She says, My dear, we'll be foun in fa
For knockin here sae loudly.
11 Four-an-twenty gentlemen
Cam a' to welcome the beggar in,
An as monie fair ladies gay
To welcome 's bonnie lassie.
12 When at he gied through the ha,
Tney a' did laugh, they were like to fa,
Sayin, Brither, I wish we had beggit a',
For sic a bonnie lassie.
13 'The streen ye was the beggar's bride,
An noo this nicht ye'll lie by my side,
Come weel, come woe, whateer betide,
An ye'll be aye my dawtie.'
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'The Beggar-Laddie'- Version C; Child 280 The Beggar-Laddie
Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 249; from the recitation of Miss Ann Wilson, of the Tontine Inn, Paisley, who learned it from the cook in her father's house.
1 Down in yonder garden gay,
Where many a ladie does repair,
Where many a ladie does repair,
Puing of flowers sae bonnie.
2 'O do you see yon shepherd's son,
Feeding his flocks in yonder loan,
Feeding his flocks in yonder loan?
Vow but he feeds them bonnie!'
3 'O laddie, laddie, what is your trade?
Or by what means do you win your bread?
Or by what means do you win your bread?
O laddie, tell unto me.'
4 'By making spindles is my trade,
Or whorles in the time o need,
And by which ways I do win my bread:
O lady, do you love me?'
5 'As Judas loved a piece of gold,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
O laddie, I do love thee.'
6 'You must put off your robes of silk,
You must put on my cloutit claes,
And follow me hard at by back,
And ye'll be my beggar-lassie.'
7 She's put aff her robes of silk,
And sh's put on his cloutit claes,
And she's followed him hard at his back,
And she's been his beggar-lassie.
8 O when they cam to [the] borrowstoun,
Vow but the lassie lookit doun!
Vow but the lassie lookit doun!
Following her beggar-laddie.
9 O when they cam to Stirling toun,
He coft a loaf and they baith sat doun,
He coft a loaf and they baith sat doun,
And she's eaten wi her beggar-laddie.
10 'O do you see yon hie, hie hill,
Where the corn grows baith rank and tall?
If I was ther, I would greet my fill,
Where naebody wuld see me.'
11 When they came to his brother's hall,
Vow but he chappit loud and schill!
'Don't chap sea loud,' the lassie said,
'For we may be fund faut wi.'
12 Four-and-twenty gentlemen,
And twice as many gay ladies,
And twice as many gay ladies,
Came to welcome in the lassie.
13 His brother led her thro the hall,
With laughter he was like to fall;
He said, I think we should beg it all,
For she is a bonnie lassie.
14 'You must put aff your cloutit claes,
You must put on your robes of silk,
You must put on your robes of silk,
For ye are a young knicht's ladye.'
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'The Gaberlunzie Laddie, or, The Beggar's Bride'- Version D; Child 280 The Beggar-Laddie
Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 100; from three copies, two in Banffshire, and one in Aberdeenshire.
1 'Twas in the pleasant month of June,
When woods and valleys a' grow green,
And valiant ladies walk alane,
While Phoebus shines soe clearly.
And valiant ladies, etc.
2 Out-ower yon den I spied a swain,
Wi a shepherd's club into his han;
He was driving ewes out-ower yon knowes,
And said, Lassie, I could love you.
He was driving ewes, etc.
3 'Oh, I could love you manifold,
As Jacob lovd Rachel of old,
As Jesse lovd the fields of gold,
So dearly could I love you.
4 'In ha's and chambers ye'se be laid,
In silks and cambrics ye'se be clade,
An wi the finest ye'se be fed,
My dear, gin ye would believe me.'
5 'Your ha's and chambers ye'll soon sweep clean,
Wi your flattering tongue now let me alane;
You are designd to do me wrang,
Awa, young man, and leave me.
6 'But tell me now what is your trade,
When you've given over sheep and club?'
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
7 'By making besoms I win by bread,
And spindles and whorles in time o need;
Isn't that a gentle trade indeed?
Bonnie lassie, can you loe me?
8 'Will ye cast aff your mantle black
And put on you a clouty cloak,
And follow me close at the back,
The gaberlunyie-laddie?'
9 Then she coost aff her mantle black,
And she put on a clouty cloak,
And she followd him close at the back,
Her gaberlunyie-laddie.
10 As they gaed through youn borough-town,
For shame the lassie lookit down,
But they bought a loaf and they both sat down,
And the lassie ate wi her laddie.
11 When they came to his father's gate,
Sae loudly as he rappd thereat;
'My dear,' said she, 'ye'll be found in faut
For rapping there sae loudly.'
12 Then four-and-twenty gentlemen
Convoyd the gentle beggar ben,
And aye as mony gay ladies
Convoyd the bonny lassie.
13 Then they were come into the ha,
Wi laughter a' were like to fa:
'I wish, dear brother, we had begg d a',
For sic a bonnie lassie.'
14 Then as he stood amang them a',
He let his meal-pocks a' down fa,
And in red gowd he shone oer them a',
And she was a young knight's lady.
15 Yestreen she was the begger's bride,
As his wife she now stood by his side,
And for a' the lassie's ill misguide,
She's now the young knight's lady.
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'The Shepherd's Bonny Lassy'- Version E; Child 280 The Beggar-Laddie
Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 249. As recited by John Laurie, Abbeygreen.
1 'Twas in the merry month of June,
When woods and gardens were all in bloom,
When woods and gardens were all in bloom,
And Ph'qbus shining clearly.
2 Did you not see your shepherd-swain,
Feeding his flocks upon the plain,
Feeding his flocks all one by one,
And keeping them together?
3 Did you not see yon bonny green,
Where dukes and lords and my love hath been,
Where dukes and lords and my love hath been,
And Ph'qbus shining clearly?
4 'O shepherd, shepherd, tell me indeed
Which is the way you dou win your bread,
Which is the way you dou win your bread,
When feeding you give over?'
5 'By making spindles I win my bread,
By turning whorles in time of need,
By turning whorles in time of need,
Say, lassy, can you love me?'
6 'I could love you manifold,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
So dearly could I love you.'
7 'You must cast off these robes of silk,
And put about my shepherd's cloak,
And you must walk down at my back,
Like a shepherd's bonny lassie.'
8 She has cast off her robes of silk,
And put about his shepherd's cloak,
And she has walkd down at his back,
Like a shepherd's bonny lassie.
9 O they walked up, and they walked down,
Till this fair maiden she's wearyed grown;
Says she, My dear, we'll go to some town,
And there tak up our lodgings.
10 O whan they cam to his father's gate,
Sae loudly, loudly as he did rap;
Says she, My dear, we'll be found in fault
For rapping here sae boldly.
11 But whan they cam to his father's hall,
O loud, loud laughter they laughed all,
Saying, Brother, I wish we had herded all,
Ye've got sic an a bonny lassie.
12 Now this young couple they were wed,
And all the way the flowers were spread,
For in disguise they were married;
She's now the young squire's lady.
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End-Notes
A. 22. who wad. Cf. 'Gaberlunyie-Man,' 102. C, D, E, time o need.
41. clouty clok. Cf. 51.
4, 5. In the other copies, the lady casts off her better clothes, and puts on the beggin-weed, his cloutit claes, a clouty cloak, his shepherd's cloak, and this disposition is no doubt the right one.
63. She bought. He, C, They, B, D, either of which is preferable.
152. wouded.
C. 81, 91, 101. Oh.
81. Borrowstoun.
D. 6, 7 are printed together.
Additions and Corrections
P. 116. Motherwell sent a copy of C to Sharpe with a letter from Paisley, 8th October, 1825, and printed C in an article on "Scottish Song" in the Paisley Magazine, 1828, p. 621, in both cases with two or three insignificant variations. He mentions in the latter another version in which the hero is called King James, in accordance with the vulgar traditions concerning the Gudeman o Ballengoich.
In Findlay's Manuscripts, I, 144, there are five unimportant stanzas, nearer to D than to the other versions, and having, like D, the title 'The Gaberlunzie Laddie.'