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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EARL MAR'S DAUGHTER by ANONYMOUS

First Line: IT WAS INTILL A PLEASANT TIME
Last Line: "AS YE SAID, IT SHALL BE SAE"
It was intill a pleasant time,
Upon a simmer's day,
The noble Earl of Mar's daughter
Went forth to sport and play.

And thus she did amuse hersell,
Below a green aik tree,
There she saw a sprightly doo
Set on a tower sae hie,

"O Cow-me-doo, my love sae true,
If ye'll come down to me,
Ye'se hae a cage o' guid red gowd
Instead o' simple tree:

"I'll put gowd hingers roun' your cage,
And siller roun' your wa';
I'll gar ye shine as fair a bird
As ony o' them a'."

But she had nae these words well spoke,
Nor yet these words well said,
Till Cow-me-doo flew frae the tower
And lighted on her head.

Then she brought this pretty bird
Hame to her bowers and ha',
And made him shine as fair a bird
As ony o' them a'.

When day was gane, and night was come,
About the evening tide
This lady spied a sprightly youth
Stand straight up by her side.

"From whence came ye, young man?" she said;
"That does surprise me sair;
My door was bolted right secure,
What way hae ye come here?"

"O haud your tongue, ye lady fair,
Lat a' folly be;
Mind ye not on your turtle-doo
Last day ye brought wi' thee?"
"O tell me mair, young man," she said,
"This does surprise me now;

What country hae ye come frae?
What pedigree are you?"

"My mither lives on foreign isles,
She has nae mair but me;
She is a queen o' wealth and state,
And birth and high degree.

"Likewise well skilled in magic spells,
As ye may plainly see,
And she transformed me to yon shape,
To charm such maids as thee.

"I am a doo the live-lang day,
A sprightly youth at night;
This aye gars me appear mair fair
In a fair maiden's sight.

"And it was but this verra day
That I cam ower the sea;
Your lovely face did me enchant;
I'll live and dee wi' thee."

"O Cow-me-doo, my luve sae true,
Nae mair frae me ye'se gae";
"That's never my intent, my luve,
As ye said, it shall be sae. . . ."



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