vile.

In the same ballad, Burd Isbel, 'to keep her from thinking
lang'--a prevalent complaint--is told to take 'twa marys' on her
journey. We suddenly realise how little there was to amuse the Burd
Isbels of yore. Twa marys provide a week's diversion. Otherwise her only
occupation would have been to kemb her golden hair, or perhaps, like
Fair Annie, drink wan water to preserve her complexion.

But if their occupations were few, their emotions and affections were
strong. Ellen endures insult after insult from Child Waters with the
faithful patience of a Griselda. Hector the hound recognises Burd Isbel
after years of separation. Was any lord or lady in need of a messenger,
there was sure to be a little boy at hand to run their errand soon,
faithful unto death. On receipt of painful news, they kicked over the
table, and the silver plate flew into the fire. When roused, men
murdered with a brown sword, and ladies with a penknife. We are left
uncertain whether the Cruel Mother did not also 'howk' a grave for her
murdered babe with that implement.

But readers will easily pick out and enjoy for themselves other
instances of the naive and picturesque in these ballads.

GLOSSARY OF BALLAD COMMONPLACES

There survive in ballads a few conventional phrases, some of which
appear to have been preserved by tradition beyond an understanding of
their import. I give here short notes on a few of the more interesting
phrases and words which appear in the present volume, the explanations
being too cumbrous for footnotes.

+Bow.+

'bent his bow and swam,' _Lady Maisry_, 21.2; _Johney Scot_, 10.2; _Lord
Ingram and Chiel Wyet_, 12.2; etc.

'set his bent bow to his breast,' _Lady Maisry_, 22.3; _Lord Ingram and
Chiel Wyet_, 13.3; _Fause Footrage_, 33.1; etc.

Child attempts no explanation of this striking phrase, which,
I believe, all editors have either openly or silently neglected.
Perhaps 'bent' may mean _un_-bent, _i.e._ with the string of the bow
slacked. If so, for what reason was it done before swimming? We can
understand that it would be of advantage to keep the string dry, but
how is it better protected when unstrung? Or, again, was it carried
unstrung, and literally 'bent' before swimming? Or was the bow solid
enough to be of support in the water?

Some one of these explanations may satisfy the first phrase (as
regards swimming); but why does the messenger 'set his bent bow to
his breast