Book of Old English Ballads, A

<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0021" id="link2H_4_0021"></SPAN></p> <h2> The Mermaid </h2> <p>To yon fause stream that, near the sea,<br/> Hides mony an elf and plum,<br/> And rives wi' fearful din the stanes,<br/> A witless knicht did come.<br/> <br/> The day shines clear&mdash;far in he's gane<br/> Whar shells are silver bright,<br/> Fishes war loupin' a' aroun',<br/> And sparklin' to the light.<br/> <br/> Whan, as he laved, sounds cam sae sweet<br/> Frae ilka rock an' tree;<br/> The brief was out, 'twas him it doomed<br/> The mermaid's face to see.<br/> <br/> Frae 'neath a rock, sune, sune she rose,<br/> And stately on she swam,<br/> Stopped i' the midst, and becked and sang<br/> To him to stretch his han'.<br/> <br/> Gowden glist the yellow links<br/> That round her neck she'd twine;<br/> Her een war o' the skyie blue,<br/> Her lips did mock the wine;<br/> <br/> The smile upon her bonnie cheek<br/> Was sweeter than the bee;<br/> Her voice excelled the birdie's sang<br/> Upon the birchen tree.<br/> <br/> Sae couthie, couthie did she look,<br/> And meikle had she fleeched;<br/> Out shot his hand&mdash;alas! alas!<br/> Fast in the swirl he screeched.<br/> <br/> The mermaid leuch, her brief was gane,<br/> And kelpie's blast was blawin',<br/> Fu' low she duked, ne'er raise again,<br/> For deep, deep was the fawin'.<br/> <br/> Aboon the stream his wraith was seen,<br/> Warlochs tirled lang at gloamin';<br/> That e'en was coarse, the blast blew hoarse,<br/> Ere lang the waves war foamin'.<br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />