Fair Annie Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E FGEBHE FIJ FIJ JKD LEE MNON ENJ HPK EEJE EJJJ JIJI QJRJ RSR EEEE EPE TUVW XEOE XEJE EEYE JER ZJJJ RPJP A2PIB2 VII JC2J JJOJ IED2E IOI OOE2 OEJE EBIEE

The Text is that of Scott's Minstrelsy 'chiefly from the recitation of an old woman ' Scott names the ballad 'Lord Thomas and Fair Annie ' adding to the confusion already existing with 'Lord Thomas and Fair Annet 'A
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The Story Fair Annie stolen from the home of her father the Earl of Wemyss by 'a knight out o'er the sea ' has borne seven sons to him He now bids her prepare to welcome home his real bride and she meekly obeys suppressing her tears with difficulty Lord Thomas and his new come bride hear through the wall of their bridal chamber Annie bewailing her lot and wishing her seven sons had never been born The bride goes to comfort her discovers in her a long lost sister and departs thanking heaven she goes a maiden homeB
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Of this ballad Herd printed a fragment in some stanzas being incorporated in the present version Similar tales abound in the folklore of Scandinavia Holland and Germany But three hundred years older than any version of the ballad is the lay of Marie de France Le Lai de Freisne which nevertheless is only another offshoot of some undiscovered common originC
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It is imperative in that Annie should braid her hair as a sign of virginity married women only bound up their hair or wore it under a capD
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FAIR ANNIEE
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'It's narrow narrow make your bedF
And learn to lie your laneG
For I'm ga'n o'er the sea Fair AnnieE
A braw bride to bring hameB
Wi' her I will get gowd and gearH
Wi' you I ne'er got naneE
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'But wha will bake my bridal breadF
Or brew my bridal aleI
And wha will welcome my brisk brideJ
That I bring o'er the dale '-
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'It's I will bake your bridal breadF
And brew your bridal aleI
And I will welcome your brisk brideJ
That you bring o'er the dale '-
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'But she that welcomes my brisk brideJ
Maun gang like maiden fairK
She maun lace on her robe sae jimpD
And braid her yellow hair '-
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'But how can I gang maiden likeL
When maiden I am naneE
Have I not born seven sons to theeE
And am with child again '-
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She's taen her young son in her armsM
Another in her handN
And she's up to the highest towerO
To see him come to landN
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'Come up come up my eldest sonE
And look o'er yon sea strandN
And see your father's new come brideJ
Before she come to land '-
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'Come down come down my mother dearH
Come frae the castle wa'P
I fear if langer ye stand thereK
Ye'll let yoursell down fa' '-
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And she gaed down and farther downE
Her love's ship for to seeE
And the topmast and the mainmastJ
Shone like the silver freeE
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And she's gane down and farther downE
The bride's ship to beholdJ
And the topmast and the mainmastJ
They shone just like the goldJ
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She's taen her seven sons in her handJ
I wot she didna failI
She met Lord Thomas and his brideJ
As they came o'er the daleI
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'You're welcome to your house Lord ThomasQ
You're welcome to your landJ
You're welcome with your fair ladyeR
That you lead by the handJ
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'You're welcome to your ha's ladyeR
You're welcome to your bowersS
You're welcome to your hame ladyeR
For a' that's here is yours '-
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'I thank thee Annie I thank thee AnnieE
Sae dearly as I thank theeE
You're the likest to my sister AnnieE
That ever I did seeE
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'There came a knight out o'er the seaE
And steal'd my sister awayP
The shame scoup in his companyE
And land where'er he gae '-
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She hang ae napkin at the doorT
Another in the ha'U
And a' to wipe the trickling tearsV
Sae fast as they did fa'W
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And aye she served the long tablesX
With white bread and with wineE
And aye she drank the wan waterO
To had her colour fineE
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And aye she served the lang tablesX
With white bread and with brownE
And ay she turned her round aboutJ
Sae fast the tears fell downE
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And he's taen down the silk napkinE
Hung on a silver pinE
And aye he wipes the tear tricklingY
A' down her cheek and chinE
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And aye he turned him round aboutJ
And smil'd amang his menE
Says 'Like ye best the old ladyeR
Or her that's new come hame '-
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When bells were rung and mass was sungZ
And a' men bound to bedJ
Lord Thomas and his new come brideJ
To their chamber they were gaedJ
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Annie made her bed a little forbyeR
To hear what they might sayP
'And ever alas ' Fair Annie criedJ
'That I should see this dayP
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'Gin my seven sons were seven young ratsA2
Running on the castle wa'P
And I were a gray cat mysellI
I soon would worry them a'B2
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'Gin my seven sons were seven young haresV
Running o'er yon lilly leeI
And I were a grew hound mysellI
Soon worried they a' should be '-
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And wae and sad Fair Annie satJ
And drearie was her sangC2
And ever as she sobb'd and gratJ
'Wae to the man that did the wrang '-
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'My gown is on ' said the new come brideJ
'My shoes are on my feetJ
And I will to Fair Annie's chamberO
And see what gars her greetJ
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'What ails ye what ails ye Fair AnnieI
That ye make sic a moanE
Has your wine barrels cast the girdsD2
Or is your white bread goneE
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'O wha was't was your father AnnieI
Or wha was't was your motherO
And had ye ony sister AnnieI
Or had ye ony brother '-
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'The Earl of Wemyss was my fatherO
The Countess of Wemyss my motherO
And a' the folk about the houseE2
To me were sister and brother '-
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'If the Earl of Wemyss was your fatherO
I wot sae he was mineE
And it shall not be for lack o' gowdJ
That ye your love sall tyneE
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'For I have seven ships o' mine ainE
A' loaded to the brimB
And I will gie them a' to theeI
Wi' four to thine eldest sonE
But thanks to a' the powers in heavenE
That I gae maiden hame '-

Frank Sidgwick



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