Yet one of them, more hard of heart The other would not agree thereto, He took the children by the hand, And two long miles he ledd them thus, "Stay here," quoth he, “I'll bring ye bread, When I do come againe." These pretty babes, with hand in hand Their prettye lippes, with black-berries, Thus wandered these two prettye babes, In one another's armes they dyed, No burial these prettye babes Till robin-redbreast painfully Did cover them with leaves. And now the heavy wrathe of God Yea, fearful fiends did haunt his house, His barnes were fired, his goods consumed, And in the voyage of Portugal And, to conclude, himself was brought He pawn'd and mortgaged all his land And now at length this wicked act The fellowe, that did take in hand All you that be executors, Of children that be fatherless, And infants mild and meek; Take you example by this thing, OLD BALLAD. THE TWA BROTHERS. THERE were twaa brothers at the scule, It's "Will ye play at the stane-chucking, Or will ye gae up to yon hill head, And there we'll warsell a fa'?” JOHN.-"I winna play at the stane-chucking, But I'll gae up to yon bonny green hill, They warsled up, they warsled down, JOHN.-"O lift me up upon your back, And wash my bluidy i wounds o'er and o'er, • Away. b School. • Two. Wrestle a fall. • Ball. * More. He's lifted his brother upon his back, He's washed his bluidy wounds o'er and o'er, "Tak ye aff my Holland sark,a And they'll ne'er bleed nae mair.” He's taken aff his Holland sark, "Tak now aff me green mantle, Whare the grass grows fair and green." He's taken aff the green mantle, And rowed him saftly in; He's laid him down by yon kirk style, JOHN." What will ye say to your father dear, WILLIAM.—“I'll say ye're lying at yon kirk style, JOHN." O no, O no, my brother dear, But say that I'm gaen to a foreign land, When he sat in his father's chair MOTHER." O what blude a 's that upon your brow? O dear son, tell to me." WILLIAM." It is the blude o' my good gray steedHe wadna ride wi' me." MOTHER. "O thy steed's blude was ne'er sae red, Nor e'er sae dear to me. O what blude's that upon your cheek? WILLIAM." It is the blude of my grey hound, MOTHER. -"O thy hound's blude was ne'er sae red, Nor e'er sae dear to me. O what blude's this upon your hand? O dear son, tell to me.' WILLIAM." It is the blude of my gay goss hawk, MOTHER. O thy hawk's blude was ne'er sae red, O what blude's this upon your dirk? WILLIAM." It is the blude of my ae brother; MOTHER.-" O what will ye sae to your father? WILLIAM.—" I'll saddle my steed, and a wa I'll ride, To dwell in some far countrie." MOTHER. "O when will ye come hame again? Dear Willie, tell to me." WILLIAM." When sun and mune leap on yon hill; And that will never be." a Blood. b One-only. • Sorrow. d Woe. |