Arthur O'Bower has broken his band,
He comes roaring up the land-
A King of Scots, with all his power,
Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower.
Notes
It's been speculated that "Arthur O'Bower" could be King Arthur or that this is a riddle and he represents a wind storm. Interestingly, the word "bower" can mean "one who bends anything".
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Here's another version from Nursery Rhymes (circa 1920) illustrated by Claud Lovat Fraser:
Robin O'Bower Has Broken His Band
Robin O'Bower has broken his band;
He comes roaring up the land.
King of Scots, with all his power,
Can't stop Arthur of the Bower.
Photos & Illustrations
Thanks and Acknowledgements
This rhyme can be found in Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17), Fun and Thought for Little Folk (1912). It can also be found in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang and illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke (1897) with the illustration. The 2nd illustration is from Nursery Rhymes (circa 1920) illustrated by Claud Lovat Fraser (with some graphical editing of the above image by Lisa Yannucci).
