Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE QUEEN OF ELFLAND'S NOURICE, by ANONYMOUS First Line: "I heard a cow low, a bonnie cow low" Subject(s): Fairies; Elves | ||||||||
1. 'I HEARD a cow low, a bonnie cow low, And a cow low down in yon glen: Lang, lang will my young son greet Or his mither bid him come ben! 2. 'I heard a cow low, a bonnie cow low, And a cow low down in yon fauld: Lang, lang will my young son greet Or his mither take him frae cauld!' 3. The Queen of Elfland's nourice She sits and sings her lane 'Waken, Queen of Elfland, And hear your nourice moan.' 4. 'O moan ye for your meat, Or moan ye for your fee, Or moan ye for the ither bounties That ladies are wont to gie?' 5. 'I moan na for my meat, Nor moan I for my fee, Nor moan I for the ither bounties That ladies are wont to gie. 6. 'But I heard a bonnie cow Low down in yonder fauld And I moan for my young son I left in four nights auld. 7. 'I moan na for my meat, Nor yet for my fee; But I moan for Christen land; It's there I fain would be.' 8. 'O nurse my bairn, nourice, Till he stan' at your knee, An ye's win hame to Christen land Whar fain it's ye wad be. 9. 'O keep my bairn, nourice, Till he gang by the hauld, An ye's win hame to your young son Ye left in four nights auld. 10. 'O nourice lay your head Here upo' my knee: See ye not that narrow road Up by yonder tree? 11. 'See ye not the narrow road By yon lillie leven? That's the road the righteous goes And that's the road to heaven. 12. 'An' see na ye that braid road Down by yon sunny fell? Yon's the road the wicked gae, An' that's the road to hell. 13. An' see na ye that bonny road About the fernie brae? That wins back frae Elfland Where you must wait to gae. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FAERY FOREST by SARA TEASDALE THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE FAIRIES by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE FAIRY CHILD by JOHN ANSTER THE FORSAKEN MERMAN by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE LITTLE ELF-MAN by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS TAM O' SHANTER by ROBERT BURNS A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 19. THE FAIRY QUEEN PROSERPINA by THOMAS CAMPION A PROPER NEW BALLAD [ENTITLED THE FAIRIES' FAREWELL] by RICHARD CORBET TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS |
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