-
teeth in my head, but after cudgelling my memory I can make no more than the following stanzas." Scott, Sharpe's Ballad Book, 1880, p. 159.
Scott makes Effie Deans, in The Heart of Mid-Lothian, vol. I, ch. 10, sing this stanza, probably of his own making:The elfin knight sat on the brae,
The broom grows bonny, the broom grows fair
And by there came lilting a lady so gay.
And we daurna gang down to the broom nae mair
- 'Hindborn,' Motherwell's MS., p. 106.
- 'Young Hyndhorn,' Motherwell's MS., p. 418.
- a. 'Young Hyn Horn,’' Motherwell’s Note-Book, p. 42. b. Motherwell’s MS., p. 413.
- 'Young Hynhorn,' Cromek’s Select Scotish Songs, II, 204.
- 'Hynd Horn,' Motherwell's MS., p. 91.
- Lowran Castle, or the Wild Boar of Curridoo: with other Tales. By R. Trotter, Dumfries, 1822.
- 'Hynde Horn,' Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 135.
- 'Hynd Horn,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 268.
A defective copy of this ballad was printed in Cromek's Select Scottish Songs, Ancient and Modern, 1810 (D). A fragment, comprising the first half of the story, was inserted in "Lowran Castle, or the Wild Boar of Curridoo: with other Tales," etc., by Robert Trotter, Dumfries, 1822[1] (F). A complete copy was first given in Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, 1827 (G); another, described by the editor as made up from Cromek's fragment and two copies from recitation, in Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 36,[2] later in the same year; and a third, closely resembling Kinloch's, in Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, in 1828 (H). Three versions complete, or nearly so, and a fragment of a fourth are now printed for the first time, all from Motherwell's manuscripts (A, B, C, E).
The stanza about the auger bore [wimble bore], B 1, F 8, H 4, is manifestly out of place. It is found in 'The Whummil Bore' (see further on), and may have slipped into 'Hind Horn' by reason of its following, in its proper place, a stanza beginning, "Seven lang years I hae served the king:" cf. F 2, H 3.
G 17, 18, 21, 22, which are not intelligible in their present connection, are perhaps, as well as G 16, H 18–20, borrowed from some Robin Hood ballad, in which a change is made with a beggar.
The noteworthy points in the story of Hind Horn are these. Hind Horn has served the king seven years (D, F), and has fallen in love with his daughter. She gives Hind Horn a jewelled ring: as long as the stone keeps its color, he may know that she is faithful; but if it changes hue, he may ken she loves another man. The king is angry (D), and Hind Horn
- ↑ This I should have missed but for the kindness of Mr W. Macmath.
- ↑ Motherwell's printed copy, Minstrelsy, p. 36, is thus made up: stanzas 1, 2, 3, 8, 15, from Cromek (D); 4–7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 24–28, 30–37, from B; 12, 17, 18 from E. 23 = A 14. 10, 21, 22, 29, have not been found in his manuscripts. The first line of the burden is from B, the second from E. Motherwell alters his texts slightly, now and then.
