J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border

BROWN ADAM.
[There is a copy of this Ballad in IWrs. Broavn's Collection. The Editor has seen one, printed i
on a single sheet. The epithet, " Smith" implies, probahly, the sirname, not the profession, of
the hero, who seems to have been an outlaw. There is, however, in Jlrs. Brown's copy a verse
of little merit here omitted, alluding to the implements of that occupation.
O WHA wad wish the wind to blaw,
Or the green leaves fa' therewith ?
Or wha wad wish a lealer love
Than Brovra Adam the Smith ?
But they hae banished him, Brown Adam,
Frae father and frae mother ;
And they hae banished him, Brown Adam,
Frae sister and frae brother.
And they hae banished him, Brown Adam
The flower o' a' his kin ;
And he's bigged a hour in good green- wood
Atween his ladye and him.
It fell upon a summer's day,
Brown Adam he thought lang ;
And, for to hunt some venison.
To green- wood he wald gang.
He has ta'en his bow his arm o'er.
His bolts and arrows lang ;
And he is to the gude green-wood
As fast as he could gang.
O he's shot up, and he's shot down,
The bird upon the brier ;
And he's sent it hame to his ladye,
Bade her be of gude cheir.
he's shot up, and he's shot down,
The bird upon the thorn ;
And sent it hame to his ladye.
Said he'd be hame the morn.