But Ballogie swore by the heavens so hie,
  And eke by the Holy Rood,
There was not in all Lillyfair’s bodie
  Ane drap of Ballogie’s blood.

And he whispered words into Sibyl’s ear,
  Which sweetly unto her came,
That he wouldna care tho’ Lillyfair
  Were dooked in Ballogie dam.

And Sibyl she whispered to Christobel,
  And she into Mildred’s ear;
But what that was no tongue might tell,
  For there was none to hear.

“What makes ye laugh?” cries Lillyfair,
  As she comes tripping ben;
“Oh do come tell, dear Christobel,
  For I am fidging fain.”

“Oh this is the night, my sister dear. 
  When the wind is low and loun,
That we are to go in a merry row
  To see the eclipse of the moon.

“And thou’lt go with us, Lillyfair,
  And see this goodly show—­
The moon in the meer reflected clear,
  With the shadow upon her brow.”

“Oh yes, I will go,” Lillyfair rejoined;
  And glad in her heart was she,
For seldom before had her sisters deigned
  To give her their companie.

‘Twas the hour o’ twell by Ballogie’s bell,
  When each with her mantle and hood,
They all sallied out in a merry rout,
  Away through the still greenwood.

Shine out, shine out, thou silvery maid,
  And light them to the place;
But long ere all this play be played,
  In sorrow thou’lt hide thy face.

No shadow of this earth ever can
  A murkier darkness throw,
Than what from the sin of cruel man
  May be cast on thy silvery brow.

The greenwood through, the greenwood through,
  Ho! there is Ballogie’s meer;
And deep within its breast they view
  The moon’s face shining clear.

And down they bent, and forward leant—­
  Loud laughed the sisters three,
As Lillyfair threw back her hair,
  Yet could no shadow see.

But is not this an old, old dream—­
  Some nightmare of the brain? 
A splash! and, oh! a wild, wild scream,
  And all is still again.

This was the eclipse which the sisters meant
  When they would the maid beguile;
For sin has the greater a relish in’t
  When lurking beneath a smile.

And now the pale-faced moon serene
  Shines down on the waters clear,
Where deep, deep among the seggs so green
  Lies Ballogie’s Lillyfair.

On Ballogie’s dam there sails a swan
  With wings of snowy white,
But never is seen by the eye of man
  Save in the pale moonlight.

And the miller he looks with upright hair
  Upon that weird-like thing,
And as he peers he thinks he hears
  It sing as swans can sing.

XVI.

THE LEGEND OF DOWIELEE.

I.