Bonnie James Campbell
Bonnie James Campbell
Original Text
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, ed.
Francis James Child, 5 vols. (1884-1898:
New York: Dover, 1965), IV: 143 (210C); from
Smith's Scotish Monstrel, V: 42.
4 rode out on a day.
5He saddled, he bridled,
6 and gallant rode he,
8 but never cam he.
9Out cam his mother dear,
11And out cam his bonnie bryde,
13“The meadow lies green,
14 the corn is unshorn,
15But bonnie George Campbell
16 will never return.”
17Saddled and bridled
18 and booted rode he,
19A plume in his helmet,
20 a sword at his knee.
22 all bloody to see,
23Oh, hame cam his guid horse,
24 but never cam he!
Notes
1] Hielands: Highlands. Back to Line
2] laigh: low. Tay: river in Scotland flowing down from the Highlands into the North Sea at Perth. Back to Line
3] An unidentified member of one of the Great Scots clans. Back to Line
7] hame: home. Back to Line
10] greeting: grieving. fu: full. sair: sorely. Back to Line
12] riving: tearing. Back to Line
21] toom: empty. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1808
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2002
Rhyme
Form