THE WORM OF SPINDLESTONHEUGH
Word is come to Lord Richard,
Where he was in God's land,
There were nine men out of the north
Would fain be to his hand.
Where he was in God's land,
There were nine men out of the north
Would fain be to his hand.
"Whatten word is this, ye good sailors,
This word ye hae to me?
Gin it be a word of the good land,
A dear word it maun be."
This word ye hae to me?
Gin it be a word of the good land,
A dear word it maun be."
"O there is a worm in Spindlestonheugh,
A laidley worm to see;
It has the tongue of a maid-woman,
And a worm's foul body.
A laidley worm to see;
It has the tongue of a maid-woman,
And a worm's foul body.
"For nine mile out of Spindlestonheugh
Of grass and rye there is nae routh;
There is sma' routh of the good red corn,
For the breath of her rank mouth."
Of grass and rye there is nae routh;
There is sma' routh of the good red corn,
For the breath of her rank mouth."
"Whatten word is this, ye carlish caitives?
For this word ye hae to me,
There shall never meat come in my mouth
Till I be put to sea."
For this word ye hae to me,
There shall never meat come in my mouth
Till I be put to sea."
And he's garr'd bigg him a fu' fair ship,
He's biggit it a' of the rowan tree;
It was neither hasped wi' gowd nor airn,
To haud it frae the sea.
He's biggit it a' of the rowan tree;
It was neither hasped wi' gowd nor airn,
To haud it frae the sea.
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