Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

HAM'S WIFE. And here are fowls, less and HAM. Shall we all fetch her in?

NOAH. Yea, sons, in Christ's blessing

more:

Herons, cranes, and bittour,1 Swans, peacocks; and them before Meat for this weather.

and mine!

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

THE GOOD GOSSIPS. [They sing.]
The flood comes in full fleeting fast,
On every side it spreadeth full far;
For fear of drowning I am aghast,
Good gossip, let us draw near.
And let us drink ere we depart,

225

230

For at a draught thou drink'st a quart, And so will I do, ere I go.

Rooks, ravens, many rows; Ducks, curlews: whoever knows

Each one in his kind?

And here are doves, ducks, drakes,
Redshanks, running through the lakes; 190 For oftentimes we have done so;
And each fowl that language makes

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Ah, great God that art so good,
He that works not thy will is wood".

Now all this world is in a flood,

As I see well in sight;
This window I will shut anon,
And into my chamber will I gone,
Till this water, so great one,

Be slakèd through thy might.

250

255

Then let Noah shut the window of the ark, and let them, remaining within for a short time, sing the psalm "Save me, O God;" then let Noah open the window and look around.

1 bittern.

go-an infinitive.

2 for God's sake.
4 angry.

5 fear.

chatter.

7 mad.

[blocks in formation]

4 haste.

1 say.

2 gentle.

3 faith.

7 swim.

6 pleasing.
8 promise.

think.
hesitate.

[blocks in formation]

Edward, Edward?

together.

2 leave alone.

assurance.

* destroy.

be.

* covenant.
7 anger.

8 but.

• grief.

10 suffer.

11 must.

And what wul ye leive to your bairns

6. Her breath was strang, her hair was

and your wife,

lang,

Whan ye gang ovir the sea O?" "The warldis room, late them beg thrae1 life,

Mither, mither, The warldis room, late them beg thrae life,

For thame nevir mair wul I see O."

7. "And what wul ye leive to your ain mither deir,

Edward, Edward?

And what wul ye leive to your ain mither deir?

My deir son, now tell me O." "The curse of hell frae me sall ye beir, Mither, mither,

The curse of hell frae me sall ye beir, Sic counseils ye gave to me O.”

KEMP OWYNE

1. Her mother died when she was young, Which gave her cause to make great

moan;

Her father married the warst woman That ever lived in Christendom.

2. She servèd her with foot and hand, In every thing that she could dee,2 Till once, in an unlucky time,

She threw her in ower Craigy's sea.

3. Says, "Lie you there, dove Isabel, And all my sorrows lie with thee; Till Kemp Owyne come ower the sea, And borrow you with kisses three Let all the warld do what they will,

Oh borrowed shall you never be!"

4. Her breath grew strang, her hair grew lang, And twisted thrice about the tree, And all the people, far and near, Thought that a savage beast was she.

5. These news did come to Kemp Owyne,
Where he lived, far beyond the sea;
He hasted him to Craigy's sea,
And on the savage beast lookd he.

1 through.

do.

3 rescue.

And twisted was about the tree, And with a swing she came about: "Come to Craigy's sea, and kiss with me.

7. "Here is a royal belt," she cried, "That I have found in the green sea; And while your body it is on, Drawn shall your blood never be; But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I vow my belt your death shall be."

8. He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal belt he brought him wi; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang,

And twisted twice about the tree, And with a swing she came about: "Come to Craigy's sea, and kiss with me.

9. "Here is a royal ring," she said,

"That I have found in the green sea;
And while your finger it is on,
Drawn shall your blood never be;
But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I swear my ring your death shall be."

10. He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal ring he brought him wi; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted ance about the tree, And with a swing she came about: "Come to Craigy's sea, and kiss with me.

11. "Here is a royal brand," she said, "That I have found in the green sea; And while your body it is on, Drawn shall your blood never be; But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I swear my brand your death shall be."

12. He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal brand he brought him wi; Her breath was sweet, her hair grew

short,

And twisted nane about the tree, And smilingly she came about,

As fair a woman as fair could be.

[blocks in formation]

1 above.

2 before.

peasant. 4 storms. 5 dark. birch. 7 trench. & furrow.

« AnteriorContinuar »