World's Best Poetry, Volume 9: Tragedy and Humor (Part 1) — The Twa Corbies by Anonymous

THE TWA CORBIES.

As I was walking all alane, I heard two corbies making a mane;

The tane unto the t'other say, "Where sall we gang and dine to-day?"

"In behint yon auld fail dyke, I wot there lies a new-slain knight;

And nae body kens that he lies there, But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair.

"His hound is to the hunting gane, His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame, His lady's ta'en another mate, So we may make our dinner sweet.

"Ye 'll sit on his white hause bane, And I'll pike out his bonny blue een: Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair, We 'll theek our nest when it grows bare.

"Mony a one for him makes mane, But nane sall ken whare he is gane;

O'er his white banes, when they are bare, The wind sall blaw for evermair."