THE WIFE AT USHER'S WELL

Anon

There lived a wife at Usher's Well,

And a wealthy wife was she;

She had three stout and stalwart sons,

And sent them o'er the sea.

They hadna been a week from her,

A week but barely ane,

When word came to the carline wife,

That her three sons were gane.

They hadna been a week from her,

A week but barely three,

When word came to the carline wife

That her sons she'd never see.

"I wish the wind may never cease,

Nor fashes in the flood,

Till my three sons come hame to me,

In earthly flesh and blood."

It fell about the Martinmas,

When nights are long and mirk,

The carline wife's three sons came hame,

But their hats were o' the birk.

It neither grew in syke nor ditch,

Nor yet in ony sheugh;

But at the gates o' Paradise,

That birk grew fair enough.

"Blow up the fire my maidens,

Bring water from the well;

For a' my house shall feast this night,

Since my three sons are well."

And she has made to them a bed,

She's made it large and wide,

And she's taen her mantle her about,

Sat down at the bed-side.

Up then crew the red, red, cock,

And up then crew the grey;

The eldest to the youngest said,

"It's time we were away."

The cock he hadna crawed but once,

And clappd his wings at a',

When the youngest to the eldest said,

"Brother, we must awa.

"The cock doth craw, the day both daw,

The channerin' worm doth chide;

If we be missed out o' our place,

A sair pain we maun bide.

"Fare ye weel, my mother dear!

Fareweel to barn and byre!

And fare ye weel, the bonnie lass

That kindles my mother's fire!"

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