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310

TOM O' BEDLAM

THE moon's my constant mistress,
And the lovely owl my marrow;
The flaming drake,

And the night-crow, make

Me music to my sorrow.

I know more than Apollo;

For oft, when he lies sleeping,

I behold the stars

At mortal wars,

And the rounded welkin weeping.

The moon embraces her shepherd,

And the Queen of Love her warrior;
While the first does horn

The stars of the morn,

And the next the heavenly farrier.

With a heart of furious fancies,

Whereof I am commander:

With a burning spear,

And a horse of air,

To the wilderness I wander;

With a Knight of ghosts and shadows,
I summoned am to Tourney:

Ten leagues beyond

The wide world's end;
Methinks it is no journey.

311

THE NIGHT-PIECE

HER Eyes the Glow-worme lend thee,
The Shooting Starres attend thee;
And the Elves also,

Whose little eyes glow,

Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee.

No will-o'-th'-Wispe mis-light thee;
Nor Snake, or Slow-worme bite thee:
But on, on thy way

Not making a stay,

Since Ghost ther's none to affright thee.

Let not the darke thee cumber;
What through the Moon does slumber?
The Starres of the night

Will lend thee their light,

Like Tapers cleare without number. . . .

ROBERT HERRICK

312

MY PLAID AWA'

"My plaid awa', my plaid awa',

And ore the hill and far awa',

And far awa' to Norrowa,

My plaid shall not be blown awa'."

The elphin knight sits on yon hill,

Ba, ba, lilli ba,

He blowes it east, he blowes it west,

He blowes it where he lyketh best.

"My plaid awa', my plaid awa',

And ore the hill and far awa'."

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313

BUCKEE BENE

BUCKEE, Buckee, biddy Bene,
Is the way now fair and clean?

Is the goosey gone to nest?

And the foxy gone to rest?
Shall I come away?

314

WHAT'S IN THERE?

FAHT'S in there?

Gold and money.

1

Fahr's my share o't?

The moosie ran awa' wi't.

Fahr's the moosie?

In her hoosie.

Fahr's her hoosie?

In the wood.

Fahr's the wood?

The fire burnt it.
Fahr's the fire?

The water quenched it.
Fahr's the water?

The broon bull drank it.
Fahr's the broon bull?

Back a Burnie's hill.
Fahr's Burnie's hill?
A' claid wi' snaw.
Fahr's the snaw?
The sun meltit it.

Fahr's the sun?

Heigh, heigh up i' the air!"

315

1 Where's

THE WEE WEE MAN

As I was wa'king all alone,

Between a water and a wa',

And there I spy'd a Wee Wee Man,
And he was the least that ere I saw.

His legs were scarce a shathmont's length
And thick and timber was his thigh;

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