by Allan Cunningham (1784 - 1842)
Translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876)
Gordon of Brackley
Language: English
Down Dee side came Inveraye, Whistling and playing; And called loud at Brackley gate, Ere the day dawing, "Come, Gordon of Brackley, Proud Gordon, come down; A sword 's at your threshold, Mair sharp than your own." "Arise now, gay Gordon," His lady gan cry; "Look, there is bold Inveraye Driving your kye." "How can I go, ladye, To win them agen? I have but ae sword, And rude Inveraye ten." "Arise, all my maidens, With roke and with fan; How blest had I been Had I married a man! Arise, all my maidens, Take buckler and sword; Go milk the ewes, Gordon, And I shall be lord." The Gordon sprang up, Put his helm on his head; Laid his hand on his sword, And his thigh on his steed, And stoop'd low and said, As he kiss'd his young dame, "There 's a Gordon rides out That will never ride hame." Wi' sword and wi' dagger He rush'd on him rude; And the gay gallant Gordon Lies bathed in his blude. Frae the sources of Dee To the mouth of the Spey, The Highlanders mourn for him And curse Inveraye. "O came ye by Brackley, And what saw ye there? Was his young widow weeping And tearing her hair?" "I came in by Brackley, I came in, and oh! There was mirth, there was feasting, But nothing of woe. "As a rose bloom'd the lady, And blythe as a bride; like a bridgeroom bold Inveraye Smiled at her side. And she feasted him there, As she ne'er feasted lord, Though the blood of her husband Was moist on his sword." There 's grief in the cottage And tears in the ha', For the gay gallant Gordon That 's dead and awa'. To the bush comes the bud, And the flower to the plain, But the good and the brave, They come never again.
Authorship:
- by Allan Cunningham (1784 - 1842), "Gordon of Brackley" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) , "Gordon von Brackley" ; composed by Adolf Jensen.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-17
Line count: 64
Word count: 314
Gordon von Brackley
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English
Dee-abwärts kam Inveraye, Trotziglich jagend, Vor Tag schon an Backley-Thor Rufend und schlagend: "Komm, Gordon von Brackley, Komm, Hüter des Rains! Em Schwert pocht an's Thor dir, Ist schärfer als deins!" "Steh' auf nun, mein Gordon," Begann sein Gemahl, "Sieh', Inveraye treibt dir Die Kühe durch's Thal!" "Wie kann ich, o Dame, Wie kann ich denn gehn? Ich habe nur Ein Schwert, Und Inveraye zehn!" "Mit Rocken, mit Fächer Kommt, Mädchen, heran! Wie reich wär' ich, hätt' ich Gefreit einen Mann! Steht auf, meine Mädchen, Waffnet euch, waffnet mich! Geh', Gordon, melk' Schafe, Lord jetzo bin ich!" Der Gordon springt auf, Nimmt Helm und Geschoß, Legt die Hand an fein Schwert, Und den Schenkel auf's Roß. Und wie er sie küßt, Da muß sie es hören: "Ein Gordon sprengt fort, Kein Gordon wird kehren!" Mit Schwert und mit Dolch Fiel Inveraye's Streich, Und der frohtapfre Gordon Liegt blutig und bleich. Von den Quellen des Dee Bis zur Mündung des Spey Beklagt ihn das Hochland, Und flucht Inveraye. "O kamt ihr nach Brackley? Doch redet mir wahr: Beweint ihn die Wittwe, Zerrauft sie ihr Haar?" "Wohl kam ich nach Brackley, Doch sah ich kein Leid, Nur Schmausen, nur Tanzen, Und lustige Zeit. "Wie ein Bräutchen die Dame, So lachend, so frisch; Wie ein Bräutigam Inveraye Nächst ihm am Tisch. Sie gab ihm Bankett, Wie kein Lord es erlebt, Ob das Blut ihres Herrn Auch sein Schwert noch umklebt." In Hütt' und in Halle Ist Jammer und Noth Um den frohtapfern Gordon, Der hin ist und todt. Dem Feld kehrt die Blume, Die Knospe dem Flieder, Doch die Guten, die Tapfern, Sie kommen nicht wieder.
Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Gordon von Brackley" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Allan Cunningham (1784 - 1842), "Gordon of Brackley"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Adolf Jensen (1837 - 1879), "Gordon von Brackley", op. 51 no. 1, published 1876 [voice and piano], from Vier Balladen von Allan Cunningham, no. 1, Breslau, Hainauer [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-17
Line count: 64
Word count: 273