Willie's Fatal Visit

The Text is taken from Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland. It consists largely of familiar fragments. Stanzas 9-11 can be found in The Grey Cock.

The Story is a trivial piece in Buchan's usual style; but the smiling ghost, which is female (17.1), is a delightful novelty. She assumes the position of guardian of Willie's morals, then tears him in pieces, and hangs a piece on every seat in the church, and his head over Meggie's pew!

WILLIE'S FATAL VISIT

1.
'Twas on an evening fair I went to take the air,
I heard a maid making her moan;
Said, 'Saw ye my father? Or saw ye my mother?
Or saw ye my brother John?
Or saw ye the lad that I love best,
And his name it is Sweet William?'

2.
'I saw not your father, I saw not your mother,
Nor saw I your brother John;
But I saw the lad that ye love best,
And his name it is Sweet William.'

3.
'O was my love riding? or was he running?
Or was he walking alone?
Or says he that he will be here this night?
O dear, but he tarries long!'

4.
'Your love was not riding, nor yet was he running,
But fast was he walking alone;
He says that he will be here this night to thee,
And forbids you to think long.'

5.
Then Willie he has gane to his love's door,
And gently tirled the pin:
'O sleep ye, wake ye, my bonny Meggie,
Ye'll rise, lat your true-love in.'

6.
The lassie being swack ran to the door fu' snack,
And gently she lifted the pin,
Then into her arms sae large and sae lang
She embraced her bonny love in.

7.
'O will ye gang to the cards or the dice,
Or to a table o' wine?
Or will ye gang to a well-made bed,
Well cover'd wi' blankets fine?'

8.
'O I winna gang to the cards nor the dice,
Nor yet to a table o' wine;
But I'll rather gang to a well-made bed,
Well-cover'd wi' blankets fine.'

9.
'My braw little cock, sits on the house tap,
Ye'll craw not till it be day,
And your kame shall be o' the gude red gowd,
And your wings o' the siller grey.'

10.
The cock being fause untrue he was,
And he crew an hour ower seen;
They thought it was the gude day-light,
But it was but the light of the meen.

11.
'Ohon, alas!' says bonny Meggie then,
'This night we hae sleeped ower lang!'
'O what is the matter?' then Willie replied,
'The faster then I must gang.'

12.
Then Sweet Willie raise, and put on his claise,
And drew till him stockings and sheen,
And took by his side his berry-brown sword,
And ower yon lang hill he's gane.

13.
As he gaed ower yon high, high hill,
And down yon dowie den,
Great and grievous was the ghost he saw,
Would fear ten thousand men.

14.
As he gaed in by Mary kirk,
And in by Mary stile,
Wan and weary was the ghost
Upon sweet Willie did smile.

15.
'Aft hae ye travell'd this road, Willie,
Aft hae ye travell'd in sin;
Ye ne'er said sae muckle for your saul
As, My Maker bring me hame!

16.
'Aft hae ye travell'd this road, Willie,
Your bonny love to see;
But ye'll never travel this road again
Till ye leave a token wi' me.'

17.
Then she has ta'en him Sweet Willie,
Riven him frae gair to gair,
And on ilka seat o' Mary's kirk
O' Willie she hang a share;
Even abeen his love Meggie's dice,
Hang's head and yellow hair.

18.
His father made moan, his mother made moan,
But Meggie made muckle mair;
His father made moan, his mother made moan,
But Meggie reave her yellow hair.

Frank Sidgwick

Frank Sidgwick was an English writer, publisher, and scholarly editor. He was instrumental in popularizing ballad and folklore studies in the early 20th century. Sidgwick co-founded the publishing company Sidgwick & Jackson, which became known for its contributions to literature and scholarship. Though not primarily known as a poet, his editorial and publishing efforts significantly impacted the literary culture of his time, emphasizing the academic study of traditional songs and verses.

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'In this ballad t...

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The ballad is better known as Willie and May Margaret.


The Story.--Willie refuses his mother's request to stay at home, as he wishes to visit his true-love. The mother puts her malison, or curse, upon him, but he rides off. Clyde is roaring, but Willie says, 'Drown me as I come back, but spare me as I go,' which is Martial's

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The Clerk's Twa Sons O' Owsenford, And The Wife Of Usher's Well

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The Wife of Usher's Well is from Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, and however incomplete, may well stand alone.


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The Story is a simple ballad-tale of 'true-love twinned'; but the episode of the dancing forms a link with a number of German and Scandinavian ballads, in which compulsory dancing and horse-riding is made a test of the guilt of an accused maiden. In the Scotch ballad the horse-riding has shrunk almost to nothing, and the dancing is not compulsory. The resemblance is faint, and the barbarities of the Continental versions are happily wanting in our ballad.


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