n ballads, but
also in all northern literature. The magical agency of bed, blankets,
sheets, and sword, is elsewhere extended to a chair, a stepping-stone by
the bedside (see the _Boy and the Mantle_, First Series, p. 119), or the
Billie Blin (see _Young Bekie_, First Series, pp. 6, 7, and _Willie's
Lady_, p. 19). The Norwegian tale of Aase and the Prince is known to
English readers in Dasent's _Annie the Goosegirl_. The Prince is
possessed of a stepping-stone by his bedside, which answers his question
night and morning, and enables him to detect the supposititious bride.
See also Jamieson's translation of _Ingefred and Gudrune_, in
_Illustrations of Northern Antiquities_, p. 340.

COSPATRICK

1.
Cospatrick has sent o'er the faem,
Cospatrick brought his ladye hame.

2.
And fourscore ships have come her wi',
The ladye by the grenewood tree.

3.
There were twal' and twal' wi' baken bread,
And twal' and twal' wi' gowd sae reid:

4.
And twal' and twal' wi' bouted flour,
And twal' and twal' wi' the paramour.

5.
Sweet Willy was a widow's son,
And at her stirrup he did run.

6.
And she was clad in the finest pall,
But aye she let the tears down fall.

7.
'O is your saddle set awrye?
Or rides your steed for you owre high?

8.
'Or are you mourning in your tide
That you suld be Cospatrick's bride?'

9.
'I am not mourning at this tide
That I suld be Cospatrick's bride;

10.
'But I am sorrowing in my mood
That I suld leave my mother good.

11.
'But, gentle boy, come tell to me,
What is the custom of thy countrye?'

12.
'The custom thereof, my dame,' he says,
'Will ill a gentle laydye please.

13.
'Seven king's daughters has our lord wedded,
And seven king's daughters has our lord bedded;

14.
'But he's cutted their breasts frae their breast-bane,
And sent them mourning hame again.

15.
'Yet, gin you're sure that you're a maid,
Ye may gae safely to his bed;

16.
'But gif o' that ye be na sure,
Then hire some damsell o' your bour.'

17.
The ladye's call'd her bour-maiden,
That waiting was into her train.

18.
'Five thousand merks I will gie thee,
To sleep this night with my lord for me.'

19.
When bells were rung, and mass was sayne,
And a' men unto bed were gane,

20.
Cospatrick and the bonny maid,
Into ae chamber they were laid.

21.
'Now speak to me