Oxford Book of English Verse, Part 3 by  Arthur Quiller-Couch

The Twa Corbies

Scottish Version

As I was walking all alane

I heard twa corbies making a mane:

The tane unto the tither did say,

"Whar sall we gang and dine the day?"


"—In behint yon auld fail dyke

I wot there lies a new-slain knight;

And naebody kens that he lies there

But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair.


"His hound is to the hunting gane,

His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame,

His lady's ta'en anither mate,

So we may mak our dinner sweet.


"Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,

And I'll pike out his bonny blue e'en:

Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair

We'll theek our nest when it grows bare.


"Mony a one for him maks mane,

But nane sall ken whar he is gane:

O'er his white banes, when they are bare,

The wind sall blaw for evermair."


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