Lord Randal: text and wordlist
Here follows the text of the poem.
1 "O where ha you been, Lord Randal, my son!
2 And where ha you been, my handsome young man!"
3 "I ha been at the greenwood; mother, mak my bed soon,
4 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."
5 "An wha met ye there, Lord Randal, my son?
6 An wha met you there, my handsome young man?"
7 "O I met wi my true-love; mother, mak my bed soon,
8 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."
9 "And what did she give you, Lord Randal, my son?
10 And what did she give you, my handsome young man?"
11 "Eels fried in a pan; mother, mak my bed soon,
12 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."
13 "And wha gat your leavins, Lord Randal, my son?
14 And wha gat your leavins, my handsome young man?"
15 "My hawks and my hounds; mother, mak my bed soon,
16 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."
17 "And what becam of them, Lord Randal, my son?
18 And what becam of them, my handsome young man?"
19 "They stretched their legs out and died; mother, mak my bed soon,
20 For I'm wearied wi huntin, and fain wad lie down."
21 "O I fear you are poisoned, Lord Randal, my son!
22 I fear you are poisoned, my handsome young man!"
23 "O yes, I am poisoned; mother, mak my bed soon,
24 For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down."
25 "What d'ye leave to your mother, Lord Randal, my son?
26 What d'ye leave to your mother, my handsome young man?"
27 "Four and twenty milk kye; mother, mak my bed soon,
28 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"
29 "What d'ye leave to your sister, Lord Randal, my son?
30 What d'ye leave to your sister, my handsome young man?"
31 "My gold and my silver; ; mother, mak my bed soon,
32 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"
33 "What d'ye leave to your brother, Lord Randal, my son?
34 What d'ye leave to your brother, my handsome young man?"
35 "My houses and my lands; mother, mak my bed soon,
36 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"
37 "What d'ye leave to your true-love, Lord Randal my son?
38 What d'ye leave to your true-love, my handsome young man?
39 "I leave her hell and fire; mother, mak my bed soon,
40 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"
WORDLIST
greenwood: woodland with greenery
bosco verde
I'm wearied: >to weary [sb] : (tire)
sfinire, stancare
fain wad lie down
fain: archaic, poetic (gladly)
con piacere
wad = would
lie down: (recline, prostrate self)
distendersi, stendersi
ye=you
true-love: (sweetheart, person one loves)
amore, innamorato
eels: (animal, fish)
anguilla
fried: (cooking)
fritto
pan: (frying pan)
padella
gat=got
leavins=leavings: avanzi, rimasugli
becam of>to become of[sb] [sth]: (happen to [sb], [sth])
accadere, succedere a, esserne di
poisoned: (given poison)
avvelenato
sick at the heart=sick at heart: voltastomaco, cuore dolente
d'ye=do you
milk kye: mucca da latte
An interactive text with notes can be accessed here: