THE BROTHERS

There were twa brethren fell on strife;

Sweet fruits are sair to gather:

The tane has reft his brother of life;

And the wind wears owre the heather.

There were twa brethren fell to fray;

Sweet fruits are sair to gather:

The tane is clad in a cloak of clay;

And the wind wears owre the heather.

O loud and loud was the live man's cry,

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“Would God the dead and the slain were I!”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“O sair was the wrang and sair the fray,”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“But liefer had love be slain than slay.”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“O sweet is the life that sleeps at hame,”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“But I maun wake on a far sea's faem.”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“And women are fairest of a’ things fair,”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“But never shall I kiss woman mair.”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

Between the birk and the aik and the thorn

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

He's laid his brother to lie forlorn:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

Between the bent and the burn and the broom

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

He's laid him to sleep till dawn of doom:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

He's tane him owre the waters wide,

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

Afar to fleet and afar to bide:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

His hair was yellow, his cheek was red,

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

When he set his face to the wind and fled:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

His banes were stark and his een were bright

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

When he set his face to the sea by night:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

His cheek was wan and his hair was grey

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

When he came back hame frae the wide world's way:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

His banes were weary, his een were dim,

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

And nae man lived and had mind of him:

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“O whatten a wreck wad they seek on land”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“That they houk the turf to the seaward hand?”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“O whatten a prey wad they think to take”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“That they delve the dykes for a dead man's sake?”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

A bane of the dead in his hand he's tane;

Sweet fruits are sair to gather:

And the red blood brak frae the dead white bane.

And the wind wears owre the heather.

He's cast it forth of his auld faint hand;

Sweet fruits are sair to gather:

And the red blood ran on the wan wet sand.

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“O whatten a slayer is this,” they said,

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“That the straik of his hand should raise his dead?”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“O weel is me for the sign I take”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“That now I may die for my auld sin's sake.”

And the wind wears owre the heather.

“For the dead was in wait now fifty year,”

( Sweet fruits are sair to gather )

“And now shall I die for his blood's sake here.”

And the wind wears owre the heather.