The Brother and Sister

A little sister full of love
Her brother came to woo;
And never heard I lovers yet
With warmer passion sue.

"I would thou wert the handsome knight
"Sat drinking at the board,
"And I the cup of ruddy gold
"That stood before my lord."

"Twere ill to be a drinking cup,
"And go the table round;
"There comes so many a drunken fool,
"Might smash it on the ground."

"Then thou shalt be the fairest knight
"That horse did ever ride,
"And I will be the polish'd sword
"Hung dangling at thy side."

" Tis just as ill to be a sword
"And hang beside a knight,
"There comes so many a drunken fool,
"May challenge him to fight."

"I would thou wert the finest dam
"Could stand upon the sand,
"And I would be a little stream,
"And trickle through the land."

"It were not good to be a stream
"And trickle o'er the soil;
"At early dawn the hunter comes
"Its silvery wave to soil."

"I would thou wert an antler'd hart,
"And roam'd the wood so wide,
"And I a little playful hind
"To frolick at thy side."

"It were not good to be a hind
"And frolick round a hart;
"The hunter to the forest comes,
"And strikes them with his dart."

"Then thou shalt be a graceful lime,
"And in a meadow root,
"And I a little tuft of grass
"Find shelter at thy foot."

"'Tis ill to be a tuft of grass
"Beneath a limetree's shade,
"The ox comes tramping o'er the mead,
"And breaks the tender blade."

"I would thou wert the finest tree,
"Could stand upon the waste,
"And I a gentle nightingale
"To built in it my nest."

"'Twere ill to be a nightingale,
"And sing upon a tree,
"There comes so many a listener,
"The warbler fain must flee."

"I would thou wert the finest church
"That glitters on a hill,
"And I an altar bright with gold,
"Where folk should come to kneel."

"Sister, if thou thy brother woo,
"Fine linen cease to wear,
"For barefoot thou wilt have to stand,
"Clad in a gown of hair."