Syne they sat doon to their denner, an' there they sat
--no drinkin' muckle, they say, but merrily enjoyin' themsel's,
the leddy singin' a sang noo an' again, an' the prence sayin' he
ance cud sing, but had forgotten the gait o' 't: but never a prayer
said, nor a blessin' askit--oontil the clock chappit twal, whaurupon
the prence and the prencess rase to gang to their bed--in a room
whaur the king himsel' aye sleepit whan he cam to see them. But
there wasna ane o' the men or the maids 'at wad hae daured be their
lanes wi' that man, prence as he ca'd himsel'.
"A meenute, or barely twa, was ower, whan a cry cam frae the king's
room--a fearfu' cry--a lang lang skreigh. The men an' the maids
luikit at ane anither wi' awsome luiks; an' 'He's killin' her!'
they a' gaspit at ance.
"Noo she was never a favourite wi' ony ane o' her ain fowk, but
still they couldna hear sic a cry frae her ohn run to the yell."
"They fand him pacin' up and doon the ha', an' luikin' like a deid
man in a rage o' fear. But when they telled him, he only leuch at
them, an' ca'd them ill names, an' said he had na hard a cheep.
Sae they tuik naething by that, an' gaed back trimlin'.
"Twa o' them, a man an' a maid to haud hert in ane anither, gaed
up to the door o' the transe (passage) 'at led to the king's room;
but for a while they hard naething. Syne cam the soon' o' moanin'
an' greitin' an' prayin'.
"The neist meenute they war back again amo' the lave, luikin' like
twa corps.
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