Mythology & Folklore
The Duke of Athole’s Nurse (Child 212)
From The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, ed. F. J. Child (1882–98)
‘Where shall I gang, my ain true love?
Where shall I gang to hide me?
For weel ye ken i yere father’s bowr
It wad be death to find me.’
‘O go you to yon tavern-house,
An there count owre your lawin,
An, if I be a woman true,
I’ll meet you in the dawin.’
O he’s gone to yon tavern-house,
An ay he counted his lawin,
An ay he drank to her guid health
Was to meet him in the dawin.
O he’s gone to yon tavern-house,
An counted owre his lawin,
When in there cam three armed men,
To meet him in the dawin.
‘O woe be unto woman’s wit!
It has beguiled many;
She promised to come hersel,
But she sent three men to slay me.’
Cite this poem
MLA
Traditional Ballads (Child collection). “The Duke of Athole’s Nurse (Child 212).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/child-ballads/677/.
Chicago
Traditional Ballads (Child collection). “The Duke of Athole’s Nurse (Child 212).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/child-ballads/677/.
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