The Lady of the Lake [85]
upon the spoon Of which a little gristle grows--you call it Robin Hood. The raven's bone. Marian. Now o'er head sat a raven On a sere bough, a grown, great bird, and hoarse, Who, all the while the deer was breaking up, So croaked and cried for 't, as all the huntsmen, Especially old Scathlock, thought it ominous.'"
115. Rouse. Rise, stand erect. Cf. Macbeth, v. 5. 12:
"The time has been, my senses would have cool'd To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir As life were in 't."
119. Mine. Many eds. have "my."
128. Fateful. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821; "fatal" in some recent eds.
132. Which spills, etc. The MS. has "Which foremost spills a foeman's life."
"Though this be in the text described as a response of the Taghairm, or Oracle of the Hide, it was of itself an augury frequently attended to. The fate of the battle was often anticipated, in the imagination of the combatants, by observing which party first shed blood. It is said that the Highlanders under Montrose were so deeply imbued with this notion, that on the morning of the battle of Tippermoor, they murdered a defenceless herdsman, whom they found in the fields, merely to secure an advantage of so much consequence to their party" (Scott).
140. A spy. That is, Fitz-James. For has sought, the 1st ed. has "hath sought."
144. Red Murdoch, etc. The MS. has "The clansman vainly deemed his guide," etc.
147. Those shall bring him down. For the ellipsis of who, see on i. 528 above. The MS. has "stab him down."
153. Pale. In the heraldic sense of "a broad perpendicular stripe in an escutcheon." See Wb.
155. I love to hear, etc Cf. v. 238 below.
156. When move they on? etc. The MS reads:
"'When move they on?' |'This sun | at noon |'To-day | 'T is said will see them march from Doune.' 'To-morrow then |makes| meeting stern.'" |sees |
160. Earn. That is, the district about Loch Earn and the river of the same name flowing from the lake.
164. Shaggy glen. As already stated, Trosachs means bristling.
174. Stance. Station; a Scottish word.
177. Trusty targe. The MS. has "Highland targe."
197. Shifting like flashes, etc. That is, like the Northern Lights. Cf. the Lay, ii. 86:
"And red and bright the streamers light Were dancing in the glowing north. . . . . . . . He knew by the streamers that shot so bright That spirits were riding the northern light."
The MS. reads:
"Thick as the flashes darted forth By morrice-dancers of the north; And saw at morn their |barges ride, |little fleet, Close moored by the lone islet's side. Since this rude race dare not abide Upon their native mountain side, 'T is fit that Douglas should provide For his dear child some safe abode, And soon he comes to point the road."
207. No, Allan, etc. The MS. reads:
"No, Allan, no! His words so kind Were but pretexts my fears to blind. When in such solemn tone and grave Douglas a parting blessing gave."
212. Fixed and high. Often misprinted "fixed on high."
215. Stroke. The MS. has "shock," and in the next line "adamantine" for invulnerable.
223. Trowed. Trusted, believed. Cf. Spenser, F. Q. v. 2. 34: "So much is more then [than] just to trow." See also Luke, xvii. 9.
231. Cambus-kenneth's fane. Cambus-kenneth Abbey, about a mile from Stirling, on the other side of the Forth. The massive tower is now the only part remaining entire.
235. Friends'. Many recent eds. misprint "friend's."
250. Sooth. True. See on i. 476 above.
261. Merry it is, etc. Scott says: "This little fairy tale is founded upon a very curious Danish ballad which occurs in the Kaempe Viser, a collection of heroic songs first published in 1591, and reprinted
115. Rouse. Rise, stand erect. Cf. Macbeth, v. 5. 12:
"The time has been, my senses would have cool'd To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir As life were in 't."
119. Mine. Many eds. have "my."
128. Fateful. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821; "fatal" in some recent eds.
132. Which spills, etc. The MS. has "Which foremost spills a foeman's life."
"Though this be in the text described as a response of the Taghairm, or Oracle of the Hide, it was of itself an augury frequently attended to. The fate of the battle was often anticipated, in the imagination of the combatants, by observing which party first shed blood. It is said that the Highlanders under Montrose were so deeply imbued with this notion, that on the morning of the battle of Tippermoor, they murdered a defenceless herdsman, whom they found in the fields, merely to secure an advantage of so much consequence to their party" (Scott).
140. A spy. That is, Fitz-James. For has sought, the 1st ed. has "hath sought."
144. Red Murdoch, etc. The MS. has "The clansman vainly deemed his guide," etc.
147. Those shall bring him down. For the ellipsis of who, see on i. 528 above. The MS. has "stab him down."
153. Pale. In the heraldic sense of "a broad perpendicular stripe in an escutcheon." See Wb.
155. I love to hear, etc Cf. v. 238 below.
156. When move they on? etc. The MS reads:
"'When move they on?' |'This sun | at noon |'To-day | 'T is said will see them march from Doune.' 'To-morrow then |makes| meeting stern.'" |sees |
160. Earn. That is, the district about Loch Earn and the river of the same name flowing from the lake.
164. Shaggy glen. As already stated, Trosachs means bristling.
174. Stance. Station; a Scottish word.
177. Trusty targe. The MS. has "Highland targe."
197. Shifting like flashes, etc. That is, like the Northern Lights. Cf. the Lay, ii. 86:
"And red and bright the streamers light Were dancing in the glowing north. . . . . . . . He knew by the streamers that shot so bright That spirits were riding the northern light."
The MS. reads:
"Thick as the flashes darted forth By morrice-dancers of the north; And saw at morn their |barges ride, |little fleet, Close moored by the lone islet's side. Since this rude race dare not abide Upon their native mountain side, 'T is fit that Douglas should provide For his dear child some safe abode, And soon he comes to point the road."
207. No, Allan, etc. The MS. reads:
"No, Allan, no! His words so kind Were but pretexts my fears to blind. When in such solemn tone and grave Douglas a parting blessing gave."
212. Fixed and high. Often misprinted "fixed on high."
215. Stroke. The MS. has "shock," and in the next line "adamantine" for invulnerable.
223. Trowed. Trusted, believed. Cf. Spenser, F. Q. v. 2. 34: "So much is more then [than] just to trow." See also Luke, xvii. 9.
231. Cambus-kenneth's fane. Cambus-kenneth Abbey, about a mile from Stirling, on the other side of the Forth. The massive tower is now the only part remaining entire.
235. Friends'. Many recent eds. misprint "friend's."
250. Sooth. True. See on i. 476 above.
261. Merry it is, etc. Scott says: "This little fairy tale is founded upon a very curious Danish ballad which occurs in the Kaempe Viser, a collection of heroic songs first published in 1591, and reprinted