Sheath and Knife (Child 16)

It is talked the warld all over,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
That the king’s dochter gaes wi child to her brither.
And we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

He’s taen his sister doun to her father’s deer park,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
Wi his yew-tree bow and arrows fast slung to his back.
And we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

‘Now when that ye hear me gie a loud cry,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
Shoot frae thy bow an arrow and there let me lye.
And we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

‘And when that ye see I am lying dead,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
Then ye’ll put me in a grave, wi a turf at my head.’
And we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

Now when he heard her gie a loud cry,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
His silver arrow frae his bow he suddenly let fly.
Now they’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

He has made a grave that was lang and was deep,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
And he has buried his sister, wi her babe at her feet.
And they’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

And when he came to his father’s court hall,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
There was music and minstrels and dancing and all.
But they’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

‘O Willie, O Willie, what makes thee in pain?’
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
‘I have lost a sheath and knife that I’ll never see again.’
For we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

‘There is ships o your father’s sailing on the sea
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
That will bring as good a sheath and a knife unto thee.’
And we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair

‘There is ships o my father’s sailing on the sea,
The brume blooms bonnie and says it is fair
But sic a sheath and a knife they can never bring to me.’
Now we’ll never gang doun to the brume onie mair