Alison Cross

Alison Cross lives in yon tower
The ugliest witch in the north countrie
She's trysted me ae day till her bower
And mony's the braw speech she made tae me

She showed me a mantle o reid scarlet
Weel wrocht wi gowd and fringes fine
Says: Gin ye'll be my leman sae true
This gudely gift, it shall be thine

Awa, awa ye ugly witch
Haud far awa and let me be
Afore I'll kiss yer ugly mou
I'd raither toddle aroond the tree

She showed me a sark o the saftest silk
Weel wrocht wi pearls abune the band
Says: Gin ye'll be my leman sae true
This gudely gift's at your command

An' she's ta'en oot her grass-green horn
She blew it three times loud and shrill
She swore by the Moon and the stars abune
She'd gar me rue the day I ever was born

An' she's ta'en oot her silvery wand
She straiked it three time o'er her knee
She muttered sic words as my senses failed
I fell doon senseless tae the groond

It fell upon last Hallowe’en
When the seely coort cam riding by
The queen's lichtit doon on a gowany bank
Nae far fae the tree whaur I did lie

An' she's ta'en oot her silvery wand
She straiked it three times o'er her knee
She turned me back tae ma proper shape
Nae mair tae toddle aroond the tree