  IThe bonny heir, and the well-faur’d The weary heir o’ Linne— Yonder he stands at his father’s yetts And naebody bids him in. II‘O see for he gangs, and see for he stands, The unthrifty heir o’ Linne! O see for he stands on the cauld causey And nane bids him come in!’ IIIHis father and mother were dead him fro’, And so was the head o’ his kin; To the cards and dice that he did run, Did neither cease nor blin IVTo drink the wine that was so clear With all he would mak’ merrye; And then bespake him John o’ the Scales, To the heir of Linne said he: V‘How doest thou, thou Lord of Linne Doest want or gold or fee? Wilt thou not sell thy lands so broad To such a good fellow as me?’ VIHe told the gold upon the board, Wanted never a bare pennye: ‘The gold is thine, the land is mine, The heir of Linne I will be.’ VII‘Here’s gold enow,’ saith the heir of Linne, ‘For me and my companye.’ He drank the wine that was so clear, And with all he made merrye. VIIIWithin three quarters of a year His gold it waxÈd thin; His merry men were from him gone, Bade him, ‘To the de’il ye’se gang!’ IX‘Now well-a-day!’ said the heir of Linne, ‘I have left not one pennye. God be with my father!’ he said, ‘On his land he lived merrilye.’ XHis nourice at her window look’d, Beholding dale and down, And she beheld this distress’d young man Come walking to the town. XI‘O see for he gangs, and see for he stands, The weary heir o’ Linne! O see for he stands on the cauld causey, And nane bids him come in!’— XII‘Sing owre again that sang, nourice, The sang ye sung just now.’— ‘I never sung a sang i’ my life But I would sing owre to you. XIII‘Come here, come here, Willy,’ she said, ‘And rest yoursel’ wi’ me; I hae seen you in better days, And in jovial companye.’— XIV‘Gie me a sheave And a bottle o’ your wine, And I will pay it you owre again When I am Lord of Linne.’— XV‘Ye’se get a sheave o’ my bread, Willy, And a bottle o’ my wine; But ye’ll pay me when the seas gang dry, For ye’ll ne’er be Lord o’ Linne.’ XVIThen he turn’d him right and round about, As will a woman’s son, And aff he set and bent his way And cam’ to the house o’ Linne. XVIIBut when he cam’ to that castle, They were set down to dine; A score of nobles there he saw, Sat drinking at their wine. XVIIIThen some bade gie him beef and fish, And some but bane and fin, And some bade gie him naething at a’, But let the palmer gang. XIXThen out it speaks him John o’ Scales, A saucy word spak’ he: ‘Put round the cup, give the beggar a sup, Let him fare on his way.’ XXThen out it speaks Sir Ned Magnew, Ane o’ young Willy’s kin: ‘This youth was ance a sprightly boy As ever lived in Linne.’ XXIHe turn’d him right and round about, As will a woman’s son, Then minded him on a little wee key That his mother left to him. XXIIHis mother left him this little wee key A little before she deed; And bade him keep this little wee key Till he was in maist need. XXIIIThen forth he went, these nobles left All drinking in the room; Wi’ walking rod intill his hand He walk’d the castle roun’: XXIVTill that he found a little door, And therein slipp’d the key; And there he found three chests in fere Of the red and the white monie. |
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