The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border

The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1802–1803) is a collection of Border ballads compiled by Walter Scott. It is not to be confused with his long poem, The Lay of the Last Minstrel. Volume I and Volume II are available as e-text.

The three volumes include such well-known ballads as

• "A Lyke-Wake Dirge" (version beginning "This ae nighte, this ae nighte,/ Every nighte and alle")
• "The Twa Corbies" ("As I was Walking all alane,/ I heard twa corbies making a mane")
• "Thomas Rymer" ("True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank;/ A ferlie he spièd wi' his e'e")
• "Lord Randal" ("'O where hae ye been, Lord Randal, my son?/ O where hae ye been, my handsome young man?'")
• "The Demon Lover" ("'O where have you been, my long, long love,/ This long seven years and more?'")
  • Helen of Kirkconnel