The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

Curst be the heart that thought the thought,
And curst the hand that fired the shot,
When in my arms burd Helen dropt,
And died to succour me!
‘Helen of Kirconnell’
Blair Atholl’s mine, Jeanie,
Little Dunkeld is mine, lassie,
St Johnston’s bower, and Huntingtower,
And all that’s mine is thine, lassie.
‘Huntingtower’ (St Johnston Perth)
Where are your eyes that looked so mild
When my poor heart you first beguiled?
Why did you run from me and the child?
Och, Johnny, I hardly knew ye!
‘Johnny, I hardly knew Ye’
I was but seven years auld
When my mither she did die;
My father married the ae warst woman
The warld did ever see.
For she has made me the laily worm
That lies at the fit o’ the tree
And my sister Masery she’s made
The machrel of the sea.
An’ evry Saturday at noon
The machrel comes to me
An’ she takes my laily head
An’ lays it on her knee;
An’ she kaims it wi’ a siller kaim
An’ washes ’t in the sea.
‘The Laily Worm and the Machrel’ (laily worm loathsome serpent)
‘What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my Son?
What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man?’
‘I gat eels boil’d in broo’; mother, make my bed soon,
For I’m weary wi’ hunting, and fain wald lie down.’
‘Lord Randal’
This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
—Every nighte and alle,
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
And Christe receive thy saule.
‘Lyke-Wake Dirge’ (fleet floor; other readings of fleet are sleet and salt)