There lived a wife at Usher's Well, <br />And a wealthy wife was she; <br />She had three stout and stalwart sons, <br />And sent them oer the sea, <br /> <br />They hadna been a week from her, <br />A week but barely ane, <br />When word came to the carline wife <br />That her three sons were gane. <br /> <br />They hadna been a week from her, <br />A week but barely three, <br />Whan word came to the carlin wife <br />That her sons she'd never see. <br /> <br />'I wish the wind may never cease, <br />Nor fashes in the flood, <br />Till my three sons come hame to me, <br />In earthly flesh and blood!' <br /> <br />It fell about the Martinmass, <br />Whan nights are lang and mirk, <br />The carline wife's three sons came hame, <br />And their hats were o the birk. <br /> <br />It neither grew in syke nor ditch, <br />Nor yet in ony sheugh; <br />But at the gates o Paradise <br />That birk grew fair eneugh. <br /> <br />* * * * * <br /> <br />'Blow up the fire, my maidens! <br />Bring water from the well; <br />For a' my house shall feast this night, <br />Since my three sons are well.' <br /> <br />And she has made to them a bed, <br />She's made it large and wide; <br />And she's taen her mantle her about, <br />Sat down at the bedside. <br /> <br />* * * * * <br /> <br />Up then crew the red, red cock, <br />And up and crew the gray; <br />The eldest to the youngest said, <br />''Tis time we were away.' <br /> <br />The cock he hadna crawd but once, <br />And clapp'd his wings at a', <br />Whan the youngest to the eldest said, <br />'Brother, we must awa. <br /> <br />'The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, <br />The channerin worm doth chide; <br />Gin we be mist out o our place, <br />A sair pain we maun bide. <br /> <br />'Fare ye weel, my mother dear! <br />Fareweel to barn and byre! <br />And fare ye weel, the bonny lass <br />That kindles my mother's fire!'<br /><br />Andrew Lang<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-wife-of-usher-s-well-2/
