Seven Years- Sir Walter Scott; pre-1832; Child B
Child says, "Sir Walter Scott remembered, and communicated to Kirkpatrick Sharpe, three stanzas, and half of the burden, of another version, B." No title is supplied so I've used the first line as the title. Since Sir Walter Scott (1771– 1832) died in 1832, I've dated it pre-1832 but it probably dates back to the early 1800s whne Scott was involved in ballad collecting and publishing.
SEVEN YEARS- Version B; Child 21- The Maid and the Palmer
A Ballad Book, by Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, edited by David Laing, p. 157 f, VII; from Sir W. Scott's recollection.
1. 'Seven years ye shall be a stone,
. . . . .
For many a poor palmer to rest him upon.
And you the fair maiden of Gowden-gane
2 'Seven years ye'll be porter of hell,
. . . . .
And then I'll take you to mysell.'
And you the fair maiden of Gowden-gane
* * * * *
3 'Weel may I be a' the other three,
. . . . .
But porter of hell I never will be.'
And I the fair maiden of Gowden-gane
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Here's the text from A Ballad Book, by Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe p. 157:
VII.
There is or was a curious song with this burthen to the verse—
"And I the fair maiden of Gowden-gane."
Said maiden is, I think, courted by the devil in human shape, but I only recollect imperfectly the concluding stanzas.
"Seven years ye shall be a stone,'
* * (Here a chorus line which I have forgot)
For many a poor palmer to rest him upon,
And you the fair maiden of Gowden-gane.
Seven years ye'll be porter of Hell,
******
And then I'll take you to mysell,
And you the fair maiden of Gowden-gane."
The lady answers in allusion to a former word which I have forgotten—
"Weel may I be a' the other three,
******
But porter of Heil I never will be,
And I the fair maiden of Gowden-gane."