| 1 |
It fell ance upon a day,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
It fell ance upon a day,
Stirling for aye
It fell ance upon a day
The clerk and lady went to play.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 2 |
'If my baby be a son,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
'If my baby be a son,
Stirling for aye
'If my baby be a son,
I'll make him a lord of high renown.'
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 3 |
She's leand her back to the wa,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
She's leand her back to the wa,
Stirling for aye
She's leand her back to the wa,
Prayd that her pains might fa.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 4 |
She's leand her back to the thorn,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
She's leand her back to the thorn,
Stirling for aye
She's leand her back to the thorn,
There was her baby born.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 5 |
'O bonny baby, if ye suck sair,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
'O bonny baby, if ye suck sair,
Stirling for aye
'O bonny baby, if ye suck sair,
You'll never suck by my side mair.'
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 6 |
She's riven the muslin frae her head,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
She's riven the muslin frae her head,
Stirling for aye
She's riven the muslin frae her head,
Tied the baby hand and feet.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 7 |
Out she took her little pen-knife,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
Out she took her little pen-knife,
Stirling for aye
Out she took her little pen-knife,
Twind the young thing o its sweet life.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 8 |
She's howked a hole anent the meen,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
She's howked a hole anent the meen,
Stirling for aye
She's howked a hole anent the meen,
There laid her sweet baby in.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 9 |
She had her to her father's ha,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
She had her to her father's ha,
Stirling for aye
She had her to her father's ha,
She was the meekest maid amang them a'.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 10 |
It fell ance upon a day,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
It fell ance upon a day,
Stirling for aye
It fell ance upon a day,
She saw twa babies at their play.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 11 |
'O bonny babies, gin ye were mine,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
'O bonny babies, gin ye were mine,
Stirling for aye
'O bonny babies, gin ye were mine,
I'd cleathe you in the silks sae fine.'
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 12 |
'O wild mother, when we were thine,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
'O wild mother, when we were thine,
Stirling for aye
'O wild mother, when we were thine,
You cleathd us not in silks so fine.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 13 |
'But now we're in the heavens high,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
'But now we're in the heavens high,
Stirling for aye
'But now we're in the heavens high,
And you've the pains o hell to try.'
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
| 14 |
She threw hersell oer the castle-wa,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
She threw hersell oer the castle-wa,
Stirling for aye
She threw hersell oer the castle-wa,
There I wat she got a fa.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay |
