TWA CORBIES OR THE TWO CROWS

Traditional Scottish Version

As I was walking all alane,

I heard twa corbies making a mane;

The tane unto the t'other say,

'Where sall we gang and dine to-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 lady fair.

'His hound is to the hunting gane,

His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame,

His lady's ta'en another mate,

So we may mak our dinner sweet.

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

And I'll pike out his bonny blue een;

Wi ae lock o his gowden hair

We'll, theek our nest when it grows bare.

'Mony a one for him makes mane,

But nane sall ken where he is gane;

Oer his white banes, when they we bare,

The wind sall blaw for evermair.'

English Translation

As I was walking all alone,

I heard two crows (or ravens) making a moan;

One said to the other,

"Where shall we go and dine today?"

"In behind that old turf wall,

I sense there lies a newly slain knight;

And nobody knows that he lies there,

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

"His hound is to the hunting gone,

His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl home,

His lady's has taken another mate,

So we may make our dinner sweet."

"You will sit on his white neck-bone,

And I'll peck out his pretty blue eyes;

With one lock of his golden hair

We'll thatch our nest when it grows bare."

"Many a one for him is moaning,

But nobody will know where he is gone;

Over his white bones, when they are bare,

The wind will blow for evermore."