Kemp Owyne Her mother died when she was young Which gave her cause to make great moan Her father married the worst woman That ever lived in Christendom She served her with foot and hand In everything that she could dee Till once in an unlucky time She threw her in ower Craigy's sea Says, Lie you there, dove Isobel And all my sorrows lie with thee Till Kemp Owyne come ower the sea And borrow you with kisses three Let all the world do what they will Oh borrowed shall you never be Her breath grew strang, her hair grew lang And twisted thrice around the tree And all the people far and near Thought that a savage beast was she These news did come to Kemp Owyne Where he lived, far beyond the sea He hasted him to Craigy's sea And on the savage beast looked he Her breath was strang, her hair was lang And twisted thrice about the tree And with a swing she came about "Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me "Here is a royal belt," she cried, "That I have found in the green sea And while your body it is on Drawn shall your blood never be But if you touch me, tail or fin I vow my belt your death shall be" He stepped in, gave her a kiss The royal belt he brought him wi' Her breath was strang, her hair was lang And twisted twice about the tree And with a swing she came about "Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me" "Here is a royal ring," she said "That I have found in the green sea And while your finger it is on Drawn shall your blood never be But if you touch me, tail or fin, I swear my ring your death will be" He stepped in, gave her a kiss The royal ring he brought him wi' Her breath was strang, her hair was lang And twisted aince about the tree And with a swing she came about "Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me" "Here is a royal brand," she cried, "That I have found in the green sea And while your body it is on Drawn shall your blood never be But if you touch me tail or fin I swear my brand your death will be" He stepped in, gave her a kiss The royal brand he brought him wi' Her breath was sweet, her hair grew short And twisted nane about the tree And smilingly she came about As fair a woman as fair could be Child #34 in Child, from Buchan, "Ballads of the North of Scotland" sung by Margaret MacArthur SOF
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