The Twa Corbies- Chambers (Scot) 1829 Child A c.
[Below is Chamber's text and brief note.]
The Twa Corbies- Child's text Version A c.
c. Chambers's Scottish Ballads, p. 283, partly from recitation and partly from the Border Minstrelsy,
1 As I gaed doun by yon hous-en,
Twa corbies there were sittand their lane,
The tane unto the t'other say,
'Where sail we gang and dine to-day?'
2. O down beside you new-faun birk.
I wot there lies a new slain knight;
And naebody kens that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair.
3. His horse is to the hunt in gane,
His hounds to bring the wild deer hame.
His lady 's ta'en another mate,
So we may mak our dinner sweet.
4. O we'll sit on his bonnie breist-bane
And we'll pyke out his bonnie grey een
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare.
5 'Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sail ken where he is gane;
Oer his white banes, when they are bare,
The wind sail blaw for evermair.'
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From: The Scottish Ballads - Page 283; Robert Chambers - 1829
THE TWA CORBIES
Many various editions of this wild old ditty have already appeared. The present is partly from recitation, and partly from the copy given In the Border Minstrelsy.
As I gaed doun by yon house-en',
Twa corbies there were sittand their lane;
The tane unto the tother did say,
"O where shall we gae dine to-day?"
"O doun beside yon new-faun birk,
There there lies a new-slain knicht;
Nae livin kens that he lies there,
But his horse, his hounds, and his lady fair.
His horse is to the hunt in gane,
His hounds to bring the wild deer hame;
His lady's taen another mate;
Sae we may mak our dinner sweet.
O we'll sit on his bonnie breist-bane,
And we'll pyke out his bonnie grey een;
Wi' ae lock o his gowden hair,
We'll theek our nest when it blaws bare.
Mony a ane for him maks mane,
But nane sall ken where he is gane;
Ower his banes, when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair!"