Andrew Lang

A Collection of Ballads Andrew Lang

They hadna been a week, a weekIn Noroway but twae, When that the lords o NorowayBegan aloud to say: "Ye Scottishmen spend a' our king's goud, And a' our queenis fee.""Ye lie, ye lie, ye liars loud!Fu' loud I hear ye lie!"For I brought as much white monieAs gane my men and me, And I brought a half-fou' o' gude red goud, Out o'er the sea wi' me."Make ready, make ready, my merry-men a'!Our gude ship sails the morn.""Now ever alake, my master dear, I fear a deadly storm!I saw the new moon, late yestreen, Wi' the auld moon in her arm; And if we gang to sea, master, I fear we'll come to harm."They hadna sail'd a league, a league, A league but barely three, When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud, And gurly grew the sea. The ankers brak, and the top-masts lap, It was sic a deadly storm; And the waves cam o'er the broken ship, Till a' her sides were torn."O where will I get a gude sailor, To take my helm in hand, Till I get up to the tall top-mast; To see if I can spy land?""O here am I, a sailor gude, To take the helm in hand, Till you go up to the tall top-mastBut I fear you'll ne'er spy land."He hadna gane a step, a step, A st