Simon's Lady- Bell Robinson (Aber) 1906 Greig
"Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads" (Keith, 1925). The second traditional version of Child 6, "Simon's Lady," was a fragment collected by Gavin Grieg from Miss Bell Roberston of New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire around 1906. It was first published in "Last leaves of traditional ballads and ballad airs" (page 4) by Alexander Keith, 1925. His notes follow.
See changes from Greig's MS at bottom of this page.
R. Matteson 2018]
"This fragment is exceedingly interesting, for it is independent of, though parallel to, the only hitherto known British version of a ballad common in Scandinavia. The sole British source (also Aberdeenshire) was Mrs. Brown of Falkland, from whose dictation about 1783 two not greatly differing copies were derived (Child, "Wilie's Lady," Aa and Ab).These two copies were published, with unauthorized changes, by Scott and Jamieson respectively, under the titles of "Willie's Lady" and " Sweet Willy." The fragment here given was learnt by Miss Robertson from her mother, and she had good reason to believe it came from her grandmother, before the collections of Scott and Jamieson could have had any effect on ballad-singers. Miss Robertson could not recall having heard it sung by any other person. From these circumstances, and from internal evidence, our fragment can be accepted as independent. Mrs. Brown's tune is not accessible, and, as already noted, Miss Robertson did not sing."
III. Simon's Lady (Child 6) as recited by Miss Bell Robertson, New Pitsligo.
[A young man had married against his mother's wishes, who employed spells to prevent the birth of his first child. The lady was ill, but nobody could do anything for her. She sends a message to her mother-in-law]
1. "How good a gift to her I'll gie,
Gin she will lat me lichter be."
[To the young man his mother replied]
2. "Your lady shall never be lichter
An' her bower shall never be brichter.
3. "But marry ye yon bonnie may
An' her bower's be brichter an' she shall ride."
[The young man went home and reported his failure]
4. Then oot it spak the Billy blin'
That sat upon the binkie en'.
5. " O Simon, hinna ye a wile
That ill woman for to beguile?
6. "Ye mak an image o the clay,
A face o wax to it ye'll gie,
7. "Then ye on to your mother gang,
An' ye seek christening for your young son."
[He took the advice, and his mother in a fury cried:]
8. "Wae worth the han's that brak the ban's
That I had on his lady's arms,
9. "Wae worth the key that opened the lock
That I had on his lady's bed-stock;
10. "Wae worth the knife that killed the ted (tead or toad)
That I'd aneath his lady's bed! "
________________________
In Bb from Greig's MS as transcribed by Lyle there are two additional stanzas (from text given in stanzas 5 and 6) which follow 6, plus the last line of 6 is reworded. Although the changes add two measures (16 total), the content is virtually the same. Here are the changes from Bb:
6. "Ye mak' an image o the clay,
[And gie't a face o' the wax]
7. "Then ye on to your mother gang,
An' ye seek christening for your young son."
8. He got an image o' the clay,
And gae it a face o' the wax.