Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

When she came till the chalmer in,

Down the bairns' cheeks the tears did rin.

She buskit the tane, and she brushed it there;

She kem'd and plaited the tither's hair.

Till her eldest dochter syne said she,

"Ye bid Child Dyring come here to me."

When he cam till the chalmer in, Wi' angry mood she said to him;

66 I left you routh o' ale and bread; My bairnes quail for hunger and need.

"I left ahind me braw bowsters blae;

My bairnes are ligging i' the bare

strae.

"I left ye sae mony a groff waxlight;

My bairnes ligg i' the mirk a' night.

"Gin aft I come back to visit thee, Wae, dowy, and weary thy luck shall be."

Up spak little Kirstin in bed that lay:

"To thy bairnies I'll do the best I may."

Aye when they heard the dog nirr and bell,

Sae gae they the bairnies bread and ale.

Aye when the dog did mow, in haste,

They cross'd and sain'd themselves frae the ghaist.

Aye whan the little dog yowl'd, with fear

They shook at the thought that the dead was near.

SCOTT.

CHILDREN IN THE WOOD.

Being a true relation of the inhuman murder of two children of a deceased gentleman in Norfolk, England, whom he left to the care of his brother; but the wicked uncle, in order to get the children's estate, contrived to have them destroyed by two ruffians whom he hired for that purpose; with an account of the heavy judgments of God, which befell him, for this inhuman deed, and of the untimely end of the two bloody ruffians. To which is added a word of advice to executors, &c.

Now ponder well, you parents dear,
These words which I do write;
A doleful story you shall hear,

In time, brought forth to light.

A gentleman of good account
In Norfolk lived of late,
Whose fame and credit did sur-
mount

Most men of his estate.

So sick he was, and like to die, No help he then could have; His wife by him as sick did lie,

And both possess one grave.

No love between these two was lost,
Each was to other kind;
In love they lived, in love they
died,

And left two babes behind;

The one a fine and pretty boy,

Not passing three years old; The other a girl more young than he, And made of beauteous mould.

The father left his little son,
As plainly doth appear,
When he to perfect age should come,
Three hundreds pounds a year.

And to his little daughter Jane

Two hundred pounds in gold, For to be paid on marriage day,

Which might not be controlled.

But, if these children chanced to die
Ere they to age did come,
The uncle should possess the wealth;
For so the will did run.

"Now, brother," said the dying man, "Look to my children dear, Be good unto my boy and girl: No friend else have I here.

« ZurückWeiter »