Page:Traditional Tales of the English and Scottish Peasantry - 1887.djvu/214

210 and tradition, which loves to embellish the scenes on which Nature has been lavish of her bounty, asserted that the twin hillocks of Preston Bay were formerly one green hill, till a wizard, whose name has not yet ceased to work marvels, cleft the knoll asunder with his wand, and poured the sea into the aperture, laying, at the same time, the foundation-stone of Preston Hall with his own hand. On the sides and summits of these small hills stood two crowds of peasants, who welcomed the coming of Lord William with the sounding of instruments of no remarkable harmony. As this clamorous hail ceased, the melody of maidens' tongues made ample amends for the instrumental discord. They greeted us as we passed with this poetical welcome, after the manner of their country:

Ye maidens of Allanbay, sore may ye mourn,

For your lover is gone, and will wedded return;

His white sail is filled, and the barge cannot stay,

Wide flashes the water—she shoots through the bay.

Weep, maidens of Cumberland, shower your tears salter,

The priest is prepared and the bride's at the altar!

The bride she is gone to the altar, and far

And in wrath flies gay Gordon of green Lochinvar;

Young Maxwell of Munshes, thy gold spur is dyed

In thy steed, and thy heart leaps in anguish and pride;

The bold men of Annand and proud Niddisdale

Have lost her they loved, and may join in the wail.

Lord William is come; and the bird on the pine,

The leaf on the tree, and the ship on the brine,