ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE 207

LORD RANDALL (1803)

‘O where ha’ you been, Lord Randal, my son?

And where ha’ you been, my handsome young man?’
‘I ha’ been at the greenwood; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m wearied wi’ hunting, and fain wad lie down.

‘An wha met ye there, Lord Randal, my son?

An wha met you there, my handsome young man?’
‘O I met wi my true-love; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m wearied wi’ hunting, and fain wad lie down.’

‘And what did she give you, Lord Randal, my son?

And what did she give you, my handsome young man?’
‘Eels fried in a pan; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m wearied wi’ hunting, and fain wad lie down.’

‘And wha gat your leavins, Lord Randal, my son?

And wha gat your leavins, my handsome young man?’
‘My hawks and my hounds; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m wearied wi’ hunting, and fain wad lie down.’

‘And what became of them, Lord Randal, my son?

And what became of them, my handsome young man?’
‘They stretched their legs out an died; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m weary wi’ hunting, and fain wad lie down.’

‘O I fear you are poisoned, Lord Randal, my son!

I fear you are poisoned, my handsome young man!’
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE 208

‘O yes, I am poisoned; mother, mak my bed soon,

For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.”

‘What d’ ye leave to your mother, Lord Randal, my son?

What d ‘ye leave to your mother, my handsome young man?’
‘Four and twenty milk kye; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.’

‘What d’ ye leave to your sister, Lord Randal, my son?

What d’ ye leave to your sister, my handsome young man?’
‘My gold and my silver; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.’

‘What d’ ye leave to your brother, Lord Randal, my son?

What d ‘ye leave to your mother, my handsome young man?’
‘My house and my lands; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.’

‘What d’ ye leave to your true-love, Lord Randal, my son?

What d ‘ye leave to your true-love, my handsome young man?’
‘I leave her hell and fire; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.’
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE 209

Summary of the Lord Randall

If we're going by the actual events of the poem, the summary is short and not-so-

sweet: young man returns from hunting, and answers a round of questions from his

mother.

The real story, however, is the cryptic narrative that Lord Randall offers in

response to his mom's queries. He reveals that he went hunting, then had dinner with his

special lady friend, who fed him a dish of eels in broth. His dogs, who probably ate some

of the same food, died rather horribly. This leads Lord Randall's mother to the terrible

conclusion that he has been poisoned, like the dogs.

Lord Randall confirms this, and, stating that he's "sick at heart," also confirms that

it was his treacherous "true love" who poisoned him. Yikes. We discover at the end that

his refrain, "make my bed soon" refers to the fact that he is "weary" because he's actually

going to die soon (in olden days, talk of making beds or going to bed was often a way of

referring to death, so the bed in question is either a deathbed or a grave, depending on

circumstances).
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE 210

BONNIE GEORGE CAMPBELL

High upon Highlands, low upon Tay,

Bonnie George Campbell rode out on one day.

All saddled all bridled and booted rode he,

And home came the saddle but never came he.

My barn is to build, my baby's unborn,

But Bonnie George Campbell will never return.

Well, high upon Highlands, low upon Tay,

Bonnie George Campbell rode out on one day.

All saddled all bridled and booted rode he,

And home came the saddle but never came he.

Home came the saddle all bloody to see,

And home came the good horse but never came he.

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Bonnie James Campbell or Bonnie George Campbell is Child ballad 210. The ballad

tells of man who has gone off to fight, but only his horse returns. The name differs across

variants. Several names have been suggested as the inspiration of the ballad: Archibald or

James Campbell, in the Battle of Glenlivet, or Sir John Campbell of Calder, who was

murdered.