The Laird o’ Roslyn’s Dochter- Joe Rae 2001
From Joe Rae: The Broom Blooms Bonny; Ballads, songs and stories from Ayrshire by Mike Yeats
2 The Laird o’ Roslyn’s Dochter (Captain Wedderburn’s Courtship - Child 46, Roud 36)
The Laird o’ Roslyn’s dochter walked through the woods her lane,
And by came Captain Wedderburn, a servant tae the king.
Says he unto his serving men, “Were it not against the law,
I would tak her tae my ain bed and lay her neist the waa.”
“I’m walking here alane,” she says, “among my faither’s trees,
And it’s ye must let me walk alane, kind sir, now if ye please.
For the supper-bell it will be rung, and I’ll be missed awa.
So I winna lie in your bed, either at stock or waa.”
He says, “My pretty Lady, pray lend tae me your haun,
And ye shall hae drums and trumpets always at your command.
And fifty men tae gaird ye wi, right weel their swords can draw,
Sae we’s baith lie in yae bed and ye’s lie neist the waa.”
“Noo haud your tongue, young man,” she says, “O your fleechin noo gie ower,
Unless you’ll find me ferlies, and that is ferlies fower.
O ferlies fower ye maun find tae me and that is twa times twa,
Or I’ll nae lie in your bed, either at stock or waa.”
“For it’s ye must get tae me a fruit, that in December grew,
An it’s ye must get tae me a goun, that waft was ne’er caaed through.
A sparrow’s horn, a priest unborn, this nicht tae join us twa,
Or I’ll nae lie in your bed, either at stock or waa.”
“Weel, my faither he has winter fruit, that in December grew.
My mither she has an Indian goun, that waft was ne’er caaed through.
A sparrow’s horn is quickly found, there’s yin on ilka claw.
There’s yin upon the neb o’him, perhaps there may be twa.”
“Well, the priest is standing at the door, just ready tae come in.
Nae man can say that he was born, tae lie it were a sin.
For a wild boar ripped his mither’s side, he oot o’ it did fa.
Sae we’s baith lie in yae bed, and ye’s lie neist the waa.”
O little kenned Grizzie Sinclair that morning when she raise,
That this would be the hindermaist o’ aa her maiden days.
But noo there’s nae within the realm, I think a blither twa,
And they baith lie in yae bed, and she lies neist the waa.”
fleechin = flattering. ferlies = wonders. neb = beak. Grizzie = Grizelda.
Like Riddles Wisely Expounded (Child 1) and The Elphin Knight (Child 2), The Laird o’ Roslyn’s Dochter concerns a would-be suitor who can only gain his love by performing certain tasks, in this case by answering riddles. Professor Child noted that such ideas were ancient and once widespread across eastern Europe and the Middle East. One such example, which he quotes, is the Persian story of Prince Calaf who is given the task of answering the following three riddles:
“What is to be found in every land, is dear to all the world, and cannot endure a fellow?” Calaf answers, “The sun.” “What mother swallows the children she has given birth to, as soon as they have attained their growth?” “The sea,” says Calaf, “for the rivers that flow into it all come from it.” “What is a tree that has all its leaves white on one side and black on the other?” “This tree,” Calaf answers, “is the year, which is made up of days and nights.”
The song I Gave My Love a Cherry also clearly belongs to this tradition, and is no doubt derived from the ballad. Joe learnt the ballad from Edward ‘Ned’ Robertson, a retired shephered who lived next door to Joe in Sorn and who would have been born sometime around 1885. The tune used by both Ned and Joe has been used to carry a number of songs and ballads over the years, the best known being the bothy song Drumdelgie.
Child mentions that the ballad was printed in an undated chapbook, Lord Roslin’s Daughter’s Garland, which runs to some eighteen verses. According to Joe, Ned’s original version was also extremely long and Joe is aware that he never managed to get the full story from Ned.
Duncan Williamson sings another Scottish version (to the tune of Come All You Tramps and Hawkers) on the Veteran cassette VT128, while Irish singers Thomas Moran, Maggy Murphy and Willie Clancy sing versions on Rounder CD 1775, Veteran VT134CD and Topic TSCD651.