Dear lady, change that look of woe, ELLEN. "Well, be it as thou wilt; I hear, XII. BALLAD. ALICE BRAND. Merry it is in the good greenwood, When the mavis' and merle3 are singing, When the deer sweeps by, and the hounds are in cry, And the hunter's horn is ringing. "O Alice Brand, my native land Is lost for love of you; And we must hold by wood and wold, As outlaws wont to do. "O Alice, 'twas all for thy locks so bright, "Now must I teach to hew the beech, [See Appendix, Note K.] 2 Thrush. 3 Blackbird. The hand that held the glaive, For leaves to spread our lowly bed, "And for vest of pall, thy fingers small, A cloak must shear from the slaughter'd deer, To keep the cold away." "O Richard! if my brother died, For darkling was the battle tried, "If pall and vair no more I wear, "And, Richard, if our lot be hard, XIII. BALLAD CONTINUED. 'Tis merry, 'tis merry, in good greenwood, So blithe Lady Alice is singing; [MS.-"'Twas but a midnight chance; And fortune held the lance."] On the beech's pride, and oak's brown side, Up spoke the moody Elfin King, Who wonn'd within the hill,-' In a long dissertation upon the Fairy Superstitions, published in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, the most valuable part of which was supplied by my learned and indefatigable friend, Dr. John Leyden, most of the circumstances are collected which can throw light upon the popular belief which even yet prevails respecting them in Scotland. Dr. Grahame, author of an entertaining work upon the Scenery of the Perthshire Highlands, already frequently quoted, has recorded, with great accuracy, the peculiar tenets held by the Highlanders on this topic, in the vicinity of Loch Katrine. The learned author is inclined to deduce the whole mythology from the Druidical system,-an opinion to which there are many objections. "The Daoine Shi', or Men of Peace of the Highlanders, though not absolutely malevolent, are believed to be a peevish, repining race of beings, who, possessing themselves but a scanty portion of happiness, are supposed to envy mankind their more complete and substantial enjoyments. They are supposed to enjoy, in their subterraneous recesses, a sort of shadowy happiness, -a tinsel grandeur; which, however, they would willingly exchange for the more solid joys of mortality. "They are believed to inhabit certain round grassy eminences, where they celebrate their nocturnal festivities by the light of the moon. About a mile beyond the source of the Forth, above Lochcon, there is a place called Coirshi'an, or the Cove of the Men of Peace, which is still supposed to be a favourite place of their residence. In the neighbourhood, are to be seen many round conical eminences; particularly one, near the head of the lake, by the skirts of which many are still afraid to pass after sunset. It is believed, that if, on Hallow-eve, any person, alone, goes round one of these hills nine times, towards the left hand Like wind in the porch of a ruin'd church, "Why sounds yon stroke on beech and oak, Our moonlight circle's screen? 1 Or who comes here to chase the deer, (sinistrorsum) a door shall open, by which he will be admitted into their subterraneous abodes. Many, it is said, of mortal race, have been entertained in their secret recesses. There they have been received into the most splendid apartments, and regaled with the most sumptuous banquets, and delicious wines. Their females surpass the daughters of men in beauty. The seemingly happy inhabitants pass their time in festivity, and in dancing to notes of the softest music. But unhappy is the mortal who joins in their joys, or ventures to partake of their dainties. By this indulgence, he forfeits for ever the society of men, and is bound irrevocably to the condition of Shi'ich, or Man of Peace. "A woman, as is reported in the Highland tradition, was conveyed, in days of yore, into the secret recesses of the Men of Peace. There she was recognised by one who had formerly been an ordinary mortal, but who had, by some fatality, become associated with the Shi'ichs. This acquaintance, still retaining some portion of human benevolence, warned her of her danger, and counselled her, as she valued her liberty, to abstain from eating and drinking with them, for a certain space of time. She complied with the counsel of her friend; and when the period assigned was elapsed, she found herself again upon earth, restored to the society of mortals. It is added, that when she examined the viands which had been presented to her, and which had appeared so tempting to the eye, they were found, now that the enchantment was removed, to consist only of the refuse of the earth."-P. 107–114. I [MS." Our fairy ringlet's screen."] Beloved of our Elfin Queen? 1 Or who may dare on wold to wear 66 Up, Urgan, up! to yon mortal hie, [See Appendix, Note L.] As the Daoine shi', or Men of Peace, wore green habits, they were supposed to take offence when any mortals ventured to assume their favourite colour. Indeed, from some reason, which has been, perhaps, originally a general superstition, green is held in Scotland to be unlucky to particular tribes and counties. The Caithness men, who hold this belief, allege, as a reason, that their bands wore that colour when they were cut off at the battle of Flodden; and for the same reason they avoid crossing the Ord on a Monday, being the day of the week on which their ill-omened array set forth. Green is also disliked by those of the name of Ogilvy; but more especially is it held fatal to the whole clan of Grahame. It is remembered of an aged gentleman of that name, that when his horse fell in a fox-chase, he accounted for it at once, by observing, that the whip-cord attached to his lash was of this unlucky colour. 3 The Elves were supposed greatly to envy the privileges acquired by Christian initiation, and they gave to those mortals who had fallen into their power, a certain precedence, founded upon this advantageous distinction. Tamlane, in the old ballad, describes his own rank in the fairy procession :— "For I ride on a milk-white steed, And aye nearest the town; They give me that renown." I presume, that, in the Danish ballad of the Elfin Gray, [see Appendix, Note L.] the obstinacy of the "Weiest Elf," who would |