© M. Keaton, 2000
General
Translation work from Old and Middle English
The
Twa Corbies (Two Crows)
Scotland,
circa late 15th century
I
As
I was walking all alone
I
heard two crows making a moan
The
one unto the other say
“Where
shall we go and dine today?”
II
“In
behind yon old foul ditch
I
know there lies a new slain knight;
And
nobody knows that he lies there
But
his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair.”
III
“His
hound is to the hunting gone
His
hawk to fetch the wild-fowl home
His
lady’s taken another mate
So
we may make our dinner sweet.”
IV
“You’ll
sit on his white neck bone
And
I’ll pick out the bonny blue eye
With
a lock of golden hair
We’ll
thatch our nest when it grows bare.”
V
“Many
a man for him makes a moan
But
none shall know where he is gone
Over
his white bone, when they are bare
The
wind shall blow for evermore.”
The
Unquiet Grave
Origin
unknown, circa late 15th century
I
The
wind doth blow today, my love
And
a few small drops of rain
I
never had but one true love
In
cold grave she is lain
II
I’ll
do as much for my true love
As
any young man may
I’ll
sit and mourn all at her grave
For
a year and for a day
III
The
year and day, being up
The
dead began to speak
Oh
who sits weeping on my grave
And
will not let me sleep
IV
Tis
I, my love, sits on your grave
And
will not let you sleep
For
I crave one kiss of your clay-cold lips
And
that is all I seek
V
You
crave one kiss of my cold lips
But
my breath smells earthy strong
If
you but kiss my clay-cold lips
Your
time will not be long
VI
Tis
down in yonder garden green
Love,
where we used to walk
The
finest flower that ere was seen
Is
withered to a stalk
VII
The
stalk is withered dry, my love
So
will our hearts decay
So
make yourself content my love
Till
God calls you away.