Ballads & Songs of Southern Michigan-songbook

A Collection of 200+ traditional songs & variations with commentaries including Lyrics & Sheet music

Share page

Visit Us On FB

	III War 80 PRINCE CHARLIE (The Bonnie House o' Airlie, Child, No. 199) Stanzas i and 2 of the Michigan text are not found in any of the Child versions (IV, 54-60) of this ballad. Stanzas 3 and 5 are most similar to 4 and 8 of Child B, and stanza 4 of the Michigan text most closely resembles stanza 4 in Child C. For other texts of this ballad which do not contain any stanzas similar to 1 and 2 of the Michigan form see Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, pp. 266-269; Cox, pp. 128-129; Fuson, pp. 123-125, and Ord, p. 470. For a text of twelve stanzas with stanzas 10 and 12 somewhat similar to 1 and 2 of the Michigan text see Ford (Second Series, 1901), pp. 167-169 Ford notes that "No Scottish song or ballad has had a more lively vagabond career" than this ballad, which describes a historical incident. The present version was sung in 1935 by Mrs Frank Gamsby, Saranac; as a girl she learned the song from her sister, who had memorized it from hearing it sung by a boy from Scotland.
	1    "What loo is that," quoth the brave Lor' Heel, "That rises this morning sae airlie? By the God o£ me kin, 'tis the brave Ogilvie And me ain bonnie hame o' Airlie. 2    "Draw your swords, draw your swords," quoth the brave Lor' Heel. "And sheath your swords," cried Charlie,
	209