157 ff., 499 ff. “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No
22 g, in the handwriting of William Laidlaw.
1
‘Where ha ye been, Lord Randal, my son?’
‘I been at the huntin, mother, mak my bed soon;
I’m weariet wi huntin, I fain wad lie down.’
2
‘What gat ye to yer supper, Lord Randal, my son?’
‘An eel boild i broo, mother, mak my bed soon;
I’m,’ etc.
3
‘What gat yer dogs, Earl Randal, my son?’
‘The broo o the eel, mother,’ etc.
4
‘What leave [ye] yer false love, Lord Randal, my son?’
‘My goud silken garters, to hang hersel on;
I’m,’ etc.
4^1. leave year.
* * * * *
U
Letters addressed to Sir Walter Scott, XX, No 77, Abbotsford; from
Joseph Jamieson Archibald, Largs, 18th February, 1830.
“By the bye! How does your copy of ‘Willie Doo’ go? Or is it the same as
our ‘Auld Nursery Lilt,’ better known by the name of ‘My Wee Croodling
Doo’? To give you every justice, I shall copy a stanza or two.”
1
‘Whare were ye the lea lang day,
My wee crooding doo, doo?’
‘I hae been at my step-dame’s;
Mammy, mak my bed noo, noo!’
2
‘Whare gat she the wee, wee fish?’
‘She gat it neist the edder-flowe.’
3
‘What did she wi the fishie’s banes?’
‘The wee black dog gat them to eat.’
4
‘What did the wee black doggie then?’
‘He shot out his fittie an deed;
An sae maun I now too, too.’ Etc.
“The wee crooding doo next received a fatal drink, and syne a lullaby,
when his bed was made ‘baith saft an fine,’ while his lang fareweel and
dying lamentation was certainly both trying and afflicting to the loving
parents.” _The drink after the fish was a senseless interpolation_;
_the_ ‘lang fareweel’ _was probably the testament of the longer ballad_.
500. The title of #Q# in the MS. is ‘Lord Randal;’ of #R#, ‘Little wee
toorin dow.’