Pitcairn's Manuscripts, II, 125, as taken down by Mr. Pitcairn
from the singing of his aunt, Mrs. Gammell, who had learned it in
the neighborhood of Kincaid, Stirlingshire, when a child, or
about 1770. Scotish Ballads and Songs [James Maidment],
Edinburgh, 1859, p. 35; Sharpe'S Ballad Book, p 81.
| 1 |
Kempy Kaye's a wooing gane,
Far, far ayont the sea,
And he has met with an auld, auld man,
His gudefaythir to be. |
| 2 |
'It's I'm coming to court your daughter dear,
And some part of your gear:'
'And by my sooth,' quoth Bengoleer,
'She'll sare a man a wear. |
| 3 |
'My dochter she's a thrifty lass,
She span seven year to me,
And if it were weel counted up,
Full three heire it would be. |
| 4 |
'What's the matter wi you, my fair creature,
You look so pale and wan?
I'm sure you was once the fairest creature
That ever the sun shined on. |
| 5 |
'Gae scrape yoursel, and gae scart yoursel,
And mak your brucket face clean,
For the wooers are to be here to nighte,
And your body's to be seen.' |
| 6 |
Sae they scrapit her, and they scartit her,
Like the face of an aussy pan;
Syne in cam Kempy Kay himself,
A clever and tall young man. |
| 7 |
His teeth they were like tether-sticks,
His nose was three fit lang,
Between his shouthers was ells three,
And tween his eyne a span. |
| 8 |
He led his dochter by the hand,
His dochter ben brought he:
'O is she not the fairest lass
That's in great Christendye?' |
| 9 |
Ilka hair intil her head
Was like a heather-cowe,
And ilka louse anunder it
Was like a bruckit ewe. |
| 10 |
She had tauchy teeth and kaily lips,
And wide lugs, fou o hair;
Her pouches fou o peasemeal-daighe
A' hinging down her spare. |
| 11 |
Ilka eye intil her head
Was like a rotten plumbe,
And down browed was the queyne,
And sairly did she gloom. |
| 12 |
Ilka nail upon her hand
Was like an iron rake,
And ilka tooth intil her head
Was like a tether-stake.
* * * * * |
| 13 |
She gied to him a gravat,
O the auld horse's sheet,
And he gied her a gay gold ring,
O the auld couple-root. |
