The Twa Corbies
Twa Corbies – and twa films. As a Scottish set text for National 5, we have two versions of this Scots ballad for your interest and study. The first Twa Corbies film – the original ballad – tells of the new-slain knight forgotten by the world, his body claimed by the two ravens. The second film – Twa Corbies by Liz Lochhead – is a more modern retelling of the ballad performed by Joyce Falconer but still dealing with themes of life, nature and death.
The Twa Corbies
The Twa Corbies (traditional)
As I was walking all alane,
I heard twa corbies makkin a mane,
The tane untae the tither say,
‘Whaur sall we gang and dine the day?
Whaur sall we gang and dine the day?’
‘It’s in ahint yon auld fail dyke,
I wot there lies a new slain knight,
And naebody kens that he lies there
But his hawk and his hound and his lady fair,
But his hawk and his hound and his lady fair.
‘His hound is tae the huntin gane,
His hawk tae fetch the wild fowl hame,
And his lady’s taen anither mate,
So we may mak oor denner swate,
So we may mak oor denner swate.
‘It’s ye’ll sit on his white hause-bane,
And I’ll pick oot his bonnie blue een,
And wi ae lock o his gowden hair
We’ll theek oor nest when it growes bare,
We’ll theek oor nest when it growes bare.
There’s mony a yin for him maks mane,
But nane sall ken whaur he has gane,
Ower his white banes when they are bare
The win sall blaw for evermair,
The win sall blaw for evermair.
The win sall blaw for evermair,
The win sall blaw for evermair.