The Laily Worm And The Machrel Of The Sea Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B CDEB FBGB HBIBJB KBL F MB CDEB FBBB HBIBBB KBB BBB NBN EDBBB EBOB EBDBP QEBE| The Text of this mutilated ballad is taken from the Skene MS where it was written down from recitation in the North of Scotland about | A |
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| The Story is of a double transformation of a sister and brother by a stepmother Compare the story of The Marriage of Sir Gawaine First Series p Allison Gross should be compared closely with this ballad The combing of hair seems to be a favourite method of expressing affection not only in these ballads but also in Scandinavian folklore It is needless to take exception to the attribution either of hair to a worm or of knees to a machrel though we may note that in one version of Dives and Lazarus Dives 'has a place prepared in hell to sit on a serpent's knee ' However it is probable that a part of the ballad now lost stated that the machrel whatever it may be reassumed human shape 'every Saturday at noon ' | - |
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| THE LAILY WORM AND THE MACHREL OF THE SEA | B |
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| 'I was but seven year auld | C |
| When my mither she did die | D |
| My father married the ae warst woman | E |
| The warld did ever see | B |
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| 'For she has made me the laily worm | F |
| That lies at the fit o' the tree | B |
| An' my sister Masery she's made | G |
| The machrel of the sea | B |
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| 'An' every Saturday at noon | H |
| The machrel comes to me | B |
| An' she takes my laily head | I |
| An' lays it on her knee | B |
| She kaims it wi' a siller kaim | J |
| An' washes 't in the sea | B |
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| 'Seven knights hae I slain | K |
| Sin I lay at the fit of the tree | B |
| An' ye war na my ain father | L |
| The eight ane ye should be ' | - |
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| 'Sing on your song ye laily worm | F |
| That ye did sing to me ' | - |
| 'I never sung that song but what | M |
| I would sing it to thee | B |
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| 'I was but seven year auld | C |
| When my mither she did die | D |
| My father married the ae warst woman | E |
| The warld did ever see | B |
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| 'For she changed me to the laily worm | F |
| That lies at the fit o' the tree | B |
| And my sister Masery | B |
| To the machrel of the sea | B |
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| 'And every Saturday at noon | H |
| The machrel comes to me | B |
| An' she takes my laily head | I |
| An' lays it on her knee | B |
| An' kames it wi' a siller kame | B |
| An' washes it i' the sea | B |
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| 'Seven knights hae I slain | K |
| Sin I lay at the fit o' the tree | B |
| An' ye war na my ain father | B |
| The eighth ane ye shoud be ' | - |
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| He sent for his lady | B |
| As fast as send could he | B |
| 'Whar is my son that ye sent frae me | B |
| And my daughter Lady Masery ' | - |
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| 'Your son is at our king's court | N |
| Serving for meat an' fee | B |
| An' your daughter's at our queen's court | N |
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| 'Ye lie ye ill woman | E |
| Sae loud as I hear ye lie | D |
| My son's the laily worm | B |
| That lies at the fit o' the tree | B |
| And my daughter Lady Masery | B |
| Is the machrel of the sea ' | - |
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| She has tane a siller wan' | E |
| An' gi'en him strokes three | B |
| And he has started up the bravest knight | O |
| That ever your eyes did see | B |
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| She has ta'en a small horn | E |
| An' loud an' shrill blew she | B |
| An' a' the fish came her untill | D |
| But the proud machrel of the sea | B |
| 'Ye shapeit me ance an unseemly shape | P |
| An' ye's never mare shape me ' | - |
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| He has sent to the wood | Q |
| For whins and for hawthorn | E |
| An' he has ta'en that gay lady | B |
| An' there he did her burn | E |
Frank Sidgwick
(1)
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About The Laily Worm And The Machrel Of The Sea
The Laily Worm And The Machrel Of The Sea is a poem by Frank Sidgwick. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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