The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #163685 Message #3907936
Posted By: Richie
25-Feb-18 - 05:28 PM
Thread Name: Origins: James Madison Carpenter & Child Ballads
Subject: Lyr Add: LAIRD O ELFIN
Hi Mick, ty
Child 2, Elfin Knight. From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11511, dated c. 1930; compare to Robb's version in Greig-Duncan dated c. 1907. Robb was a school teacher and had access to printed materials.
"Laird o' Elfin" sung by Alexander Robb, School College, New Deer, (Aberdenshire) Scotland Learned from William Booth of Rathen fifty-five years ago (c. 1875).
The Laird o' Elfin stands on yon hill
Ba-ba-ba lily ba,
An' he blows his trumpet lood an' shrill
An' the wind blaws aye my plaid awa.
"O gin I had that horn in my kist
An' then be wedded wi' that knicht.
"But afore that I do that wi' thee,
A weel-shewed sark ye maun shew tee me.
"An' ye maun shew it needle-thread free
An' a weel-shewed sark ye maun sew to me.
"But afore that I do that tee thee
I'll gie you some wark to do tee me.
"I have a little wee acre o' land,
An' it's atween the salt seas an' the sand.
"Ye maun ploo it wi' a bugle horn
And ye maun saw't wi' Indian corn.
"An' ye maun cut it wi' your penknife
An' bind it up just as your life.
"An' ye maun stook it ower the sea
An' a dry sheaf ye maun bring to me.
"Robin Redbreast an' the wran
They'll bring tee me my corn hame.
"An' ye maun thras't i' your shee sole
An' ye maun riddle't in younder moose hole.
"An' ye maun winnie it in your nive,
An' ye maun sech it in your glive.
"An' when once ye've done a' this wark
Come ye tee me an' ye'll get your sark."
* * * *
Richie