30 Hartley Burr Alexander 



Why does your brand sae drap wi' blood, 



Edward, Edward, — 

 Why does your brand sae drap wi' blood 



And why sae sad gang ye oh? 

 " Oh I hae killed my hawk sae good, 



Mither, mither, — 

 " Oh I hae killed my hawk sae good 



And I had no mair but he oh." 

 The mother replies : 



Your hawk's blood was never sae red, 



Edward, Edward, — 

 Your hawk's blood was never sae red, 



My dear son I tell thee oh. 



And the son, answering: 



" Oh I hae killed my red-roan steed . . ." 



To which the mother again objects: 



Your steed was auld and ye hae got mair, 



Some other dule ye dree oh. 



And then: 



" Oh I hae killed my father dear, 



Mither, mither, — 

 " Oh I hae killed my father dear, 



Alas ! and wae is me oh !" 



And whatten penance will ye dree for that? . . . 

 " I'll set my feet in yonder boat, 



And I'll fare o'er the sea oh." 



And what will ye do wi' your towers and your ha'? . . . 

 " I'll let them stand till they down fa' . . . " 



And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife? . . . 

 " The world's room, let them beg through life ..." 



And finally the last significant stanza, with its revelation of the 

 meaning of the whole : 



And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear, 



Edward, Edward? 

 And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear, 



My dear son, now tell me oh. 



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