The Twa Corbies.
This work captures the grim reality of border life where life was cheap and so easily lost. For those who do not speak scots, a Corbie is a Crow or a Raven
As
I was walking all alane,
I
heard twa corbies making a mane:
The
tane unto the tither did say,
“Whar
sall we gang and dine the day?
Whar
sall we gang and dine the day?”
“In
ahint 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 his lady fair.
His
hawk, his hound and his lady fair.
“His
hound is to the hunting gane,
His
hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame,
His
lady’s ta’en anither mate,
So
we may mak our dinner sweet.
So
we may mak our dinner sweet.
“Ye’ll
sit on his white hause-bane,
And
I’ll pike oot his bonny blue e’en:
Wi
ae lock o his gowden hair
We’ll
theek our nest when it grows bare.
We’ll
theek our nest when it grows bare.
“Mony
a one for him maks mane,
But
nane sall ken whar he is gane:
O’er
his white banes when they are bare,
The
wind sall blaw for evermair.
The wind sall blaw for evermair.”