Kinloch Manuscripts, VII, 153; from the recitation of Miss M.
Kinnear, August 23, 1826, a North Country version.
| 1 |
The lassie sang sae loud, sae loud,
The lassie sang sae shill;
The lassie sang, and the greenwud rang,
At the farther side o yon hill. |
| 2 |
Bye there cam a troop o merry gentlemen,
They aw rode merry bye;
The very first and the foremaist
Was the first that spak to the may. |
| 3 |
'This is a mark and misty nicht,
And I have ridden wrang;
If ye wad be sae gude and kind
As to show me the way to gang.' |
| 4 |
'If ye binna the laird o Lochnie's lands,
Nor nane o his degree,
I'll show ye a nearer road that will keep you frae
The glen-waters and the raging sea.' |
| 5 |
'I'm na the laird o Lochnie's lands,
Nor nane o his degree;
But I am as brave a knicht,
And ride aft in his company. |
| 6 |
'Have ye na pity on me, pretty maid?
Have ye na pity on me?
Have ye na pity on my puir steed,
That stands trembling by yon tree?' |
| 7 |
'What pity wad ye hae, kind sir?
What pity wad ye hae frae me?
Though your steed has neither corn nor hay,
It has gerss at its liberty.' |
| 8 |
He has trysted the pretty maid
Till they cam to the brume,
And at the end o yon ew-buchts
It's there they baith sat doun. |
| 9 |
Till up she raise, took up her milk-pails,
And away gaed she hame;
Up bespak her auld father,
'It's whare hae ye been sae lang?' |
| 10 |
'This is a mark and a misty nicht,
Ye may gang to the door and see;
The ewes hae taen a skipping out-oure the knows,
They winna bucht in for me. |
| 11 |
'I may curse my father's shepherd;
Some ill death mat he dee!
He has buchted the ewes sae far frae the toun,
And has trysted the young men to me.' |
