Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/920

 WILLIAM BELL SCOTT

They would have torn us limb from limb,

Dainty limb from dainty limb; But never one of them could win Across the line that I had drawn With bleeding thumb a-widdershin.

But there was Jeff the provost's son,

Jeff the provost's only son ; There was Father Auld himsel', The Lombard frac the hostelry, And the lawyer Peter Fell.

All goodly men we singled out,

Waled them well, and singled out, And drew them by the left hand in ; Mysie the priest, and Elspie won The Lombard, Nort the lawyer carle, I mysel' the provost's son.

Then, with cantrip kisses seven,

Three times round with kisses seven, Warp'd and woven there spun we Arms and legs and flaming hair, Like a whirlwind on the sea.

Like a wind that sucks the sea, Over and in and on the sea, Good sooth it was a mad delight; And every man of all the four Shut his eyes and laugh'd outright.

Laugh'd as long as they had breath,

Laugh'd while they had sense or breath;

a-widdershin] the wrong way of the sun, or E. to W. through N. waled] chose. cantrip] magic.

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