Volume 4 — 258 BROUGHTY WA’S
Reading edition
a. ‘Helen,’ Buchan’s MSS, I, 233.
b. ‘Burd Hellen,’ or, ‘Browghty Wa’s,’ Harris MS., fol. 17 b; from Mrs Harris.
A young woman is carried off from Broughty Castle, near Dundee, by a body of armed Highlanders. Her lover, who is making her a visit at the time, is either taken along with her—an unnecessary incumbrance, one would think—or follows her. The pair go out to take the air; she throws herself into a river; her lover leaps in after her and is drowned. She kilts up her clothes and makes her way to Dundee, congratulating herself that she had learned to swim for liberty.
Stanza 9, as it runs in b, is a reminiscence of ‘Bonny Baby Livingston,’ and 13 recalls ‘Child Waters,’ or ‘The Knight and the Shepherd’s Daughter.’
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Burd Helen was her mother’s dear,
Her father’s heir to be;
He was the laird of Broughty Walls,
And the provost o Dundee.
2
Burd Helen she was much admired
By all that were round about;
Unto Hazelan she was betrothed,
Her virgin days were out.
3
Glenhazlen was a comely youth,
And virtuous were his friends;
He left the schools o bonny Dundee
And on to Aberdeen.
4
It fell upon a Christmas Day
Burd Helen was left alone
For to keep her father’s towers;
They stand two miles from town.
5
Glenhazlen’s on to Broughty Walls,
Was thinking to win in;
But the wind it blew, and the rain dang on
And wat him to the skin.
6
He was very well entertaind,
Baith for his bed and board,
Till a band o men surrounded them,
Well armd wi spear and sword.
7
They hurried her along wi them,
Lockd up her maids behind;
They threw the keys out-ower the walls,
That none the plot might find.
8
They hurried her along wi them,
Ower mony a rock and glen,
But, all that they could say or do,
From weeping would not refrain.
9
‘The Hiland hills are hie, hie hills,
The Hiland hills are hie;
They are no like the banks o Tay,
Or bonny town o Dundee.’
10
It fell out ance upon a day
They went to take the air;
She threw hersell upon the stream,
Against wind and despair.
11
It was sae deep he coudna wide,
Boats werna to be found,
But he leapt in after himsell,
And sunk down like a stone.
12
She kilted up her green claiding
A little below her knee,
And never rest nor was undrest
Till she reachd again Dundee.
13
‘I learned this at Broughty Walls,
At Broughty near Dundee,
That if water were my prison strong
I would swim for libertie.’
a.
72. Tuckd.
b.
14. the wanting.
23. But to Hunglen.
32. were wanting.
41. fell oot once upon a time.
43. All for.
44. stand ten.
51. Glenhazlen he cam ridin bye.
52. An thinkin to get in.
71, 81. They hies̄ēd.
72. Locked up.
73. An flang.
84. To weep she wald.
93,4. An if you wald my favour gain, Oh, tak me to Dundee!
101. once upon a time.
102. went oot to.
103. into the.
104. Between.
111. The stream was deep.
112. So he: after her himsell.
After 11:
‘The Highland hills are high, high hills,
The Highland hills are hie;
They’re no like the pleasant banks o Tay,
Nor the bonnie town o Dundee’.
133. water waur my prison-walls.
134. I could.
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