Twa Corbies

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As I was walkin’ all alane
I heard twa corbies makin’ mane
The ‘tain unto the tither say, o
“Where shall we gang and dine the day, o
Where shall we gang and dine the day?”

“In ahint yon auld fell dyke
I wot there lies a new-slain knight
Naebody kens that he lies there, o
But his hawk and hound and his lady fair, o
His hawk and hound and his lady fair”

“His hound is tae the hunting gane
His hawk tae fetch the wild fowl hame
His lady’s ta’en anither mate, o
So we can hae oor dinner sweet, o
We can hae oor dinner sweet”

“Ye’ll sit on his white hoose-bane
And I’ll pick oot his bonny blue e’en
Wi’ mony a lock o’ his golden hair, o
We’ll theek oor nest when it grows bare, o
Theek oor nest when it grows bare”

“There’s many-a-name for him maks mane
But nane shall ken whaur he has gane
O’er his white banes when they are bare, o
The wind shall blaw forever mair, o
Wind shall blaw forever mair”

This very old and sinister Scottish ballad closely resembles the English ballad The Three Ravens.

corbies makin’ mane = moaning crows
hoose-bane = breast bone
theek = thatch