FAUSE FOODRAGE. FOR this beautiful and interesting ballad we are indebted to Sir Walter Scott. It was originally published in his "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border." Both Scott and Mr. Motherwell assign to it great popularity and a remote origin. Some conjectures have been hazarded as to its historical foundation, but nothing satisfactory has been established on this point. And he has ta'en King Honour's son A-hunting for to gang. It sae fell out, at this hunting, Upon a simmer's day, 'O dinna ye see that bonny castell, 'How I suld be heir of that castell, "O gin ye suld kill him, Fause Foodrage, 'And gin ye suld kill him, Fause Foodrage, The boy stared wild like a grey goss-hawk, And your mother's our lawful queen.' "O gin I be King Honour's son, By our Ladye I swear, And relieve my mother dear!'— He has set his bent bow to his breast, 'O haud your tongue, now, Fause Foodrage, Frae me ye shanna flee ; Syne pierced him through the fause, fause heart, And set his mother free. And he has rewarded Wise William, With the best half of his land; And sae has he the turtle dow, Wi' the truth o' his right hand. |