8
"Now speak nae mair my lusty dame,
Now speak nae mair of that to me;
Did I ne er see a fair woman,
But I wad sin with her fair body?”
He's ta'en leave o his gay lady,
Nought minding what his lady said;
And he's rode by the wells of Slane,
Where washing was a bonny maid.
"Wash on, wash on, my bonny maid,
That wash sae clean your sark of silk;"
"And weel fa' you, fair gentleman,
Your body's whiter than the milk,"
Then loud, loud cried the Clerk Colvill,
O my head it pains me sair;
"Then take, then take," the maiden-said,
"And frae' my sark you'll cut a gare."
Then she's gi’ed him a little bane-knife,
And frae his sark he cut a share;
She's ty'd it round his hey-white face,
But ay his head it aked mair.
Then louder cried the Clerk Colvill,
" O sairer, sairer akes my head,"
"And sairer, sairer ever will,"
The maiden cries, "'till you be dead."
Out then he drew his shining blade,
Thinking to stick her where she stood:
But she was Vanish'd to a fish,
And swam far off a fair mermaid.
"O mother, mother, braid my hair;
My lusty lady, make my bed;
O brother take my sword and spear,
For I have seen the false mermaid."
FINIS
