Lamkin
No: 93; variant: 93J
- O LAMMIKIN was as good a mason
as ever bigget stane;
He's bigget Lord Erley's castle,
but money he got nane.
- It fell out upon a time
Lord Earley went from home;
He left his lady in his castle,
but and his young son.
- 'Where is the lord o this house,
that calls me Lammikin?'
'He's on the sea sailing,
he will not come home.'
- 'Where are the men o this house,
that call me Lammikin?'
'They are at the barn threshing,
they will not come in.'
- 'Where are the maids of this house,
that call me Lammikin?'
'They are at the well washing,
they will not come in.'
- 'Where is the lady o this house,
that calls me Lammikin?'
'She's in her room shewing,
she will not come down.'
- 'How shall we contrive
for to make her come down?'
'We'll stick her dear infant,
and make her come down.'
- O Lammikin he rocket,
and the fause nurice sung,
While out o the cradle
the infant's blude sprung.
- 'O still my bairn, nurice,'
the lady did cry:
'He will not still, lady,
for you nor for I.'
- 'O still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the wan:'
'He will not still, lady,
for a' his father's lan.'
- 'Oh still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the keys:'
'Oh he winna still, lady,
for a' his father's leys.'
- 'Oh still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the bell:'
'Oh he winna still, lady,
till ye come down yersell.'
- The firsten step that lady stepped,
it was upon a stone;
The nexten step that lady stepped,
she saw him Lammikin.
- The nexten step that lady stepped
was in her own child's blood,
. . . . .
. . . . .
- 'Oh will I kill her, nurice,
or will I let her be?'
'Kill her, dear Lammikin,
she was never gude to me.'
- 'Oh wanted you meat, nurice?
or wanted you fee?
Or wanted you anything
that a lady can gie?'
- 'I wanted no meat, lady,
nor wanted I fee,
But I wanted mony a thing
that a lady could gie.'