Buchan's Manuscripts, I, 77.
| 1 |
Bonny Barbara Livingston
Went out to take the air,
When came the laird o Glenlyon
And staw the maiden fair. |
| 2 |
He staw her in her cloak, her cloak,
He staw her in her gown;
Before he let her look again,
Was mony mile frae town. |
| 3 |
So they rade over hills and dales,
Through m[o]ny a wilsome way,
Till they came to the head o yon hill,
And showed her ewes and kye. |
| 4 |
'O will ye stay with me, Barbara,
And get good curds and whey?
Or will ye go to Glenlyon,
And be a lady gay?' |
| 5 |
'The Highlands is nae for me, kind sir,
The Highlands is nae for me,
But, gin ye woud my favour win,
Have me to bonny Dundee.' |
| 6 |
'Dundee, Barbara? Dundee, Barbara?
That town ye'se never see;
I'll hae you to a finer place
Than eer was in Dundee.' |
| 7 |
But when she came to Glenlyon,
And lighted on the green,
Every lady spake Earse to her,
But Barbara could speak nane. |
| 8 |
When they were all at dinner set,
And placed the table round,
Every one took some of it,
But Barbara took nane. |
| 9 |
She put it to her cheek, her cheek,
She put it to her chin,
She put it to her rosey lips,
But neer a bit gaed in. |
| 10 |
When day was gone, and night was come,
And a' man bound for bed,
Glenlyon and that fair lady
To one chamber were laid. |
| 11 |
'O strip, O strip, my love,' he said,
'O strip and lay you down;'
'How can I strip? How can I strip,
To bed wi an unco man?' |
| 12 |
He's taen out his little pen-knife,
And he slit down her gown,
And cut her stays behind her back,
And forc'd her to lie down. |
| 13 |
'O day, dear sir! O day, dear sir!
O dear! if it were day,
And me upon my father's steed,
I soon shoud ride away.' |
| 14 |
'Your father's steed is in my stable,
Eating good corn and hay,
And ye are in my arms twa;
What needs you lang for day?' |
| 15 |
'If I had paper, pens, and ink,
And light that I may see,
I woud write a broad, broad letter
To my love in Dundee.' |
| 16 |
They brought her paper, pen, and ink,
And light that she might see,
And she has written a broad letter
To her love in Dundee. |
| 17 |
And aye she wrote, and aye she grat,
The saut tear blinded her ee;
And aye at every verse's end,
'Haste, my bonny love, to me!' |
| 18 |
'If I had but a little wee boy,
Would work for meat and fee,
Would go and carry this letter
To my love in Dundee!' |
| 19 |
'O here am I, a little wee boy
Will work for meat and fee,
Will go and carry that letter
To your love in Dundee.' |
| 20 |
Upstarts the morn, the boy he ran
Oer mony a hill and dale,
And he wan on to bonny Dundee
About the hour o twall. |
| 21 |
There geordy oer a window lay,
Beholding dale and down;
And he beheld a little wee boy
Come running to the town. |
| 22 |
'What news? what news, my little wee boy,
You run sae hastilie?'
'Your love is stown by Glenlyon,
And langs your face to see.' |
| 23 |
'Gae saddle to me the black, the black,
Gae saddle to me the brown;
Gae saddle to me the swiftest steed
Will hae me to the town. |
| 24 |
'Get me my hat, dyed o the black,
My mourning-mantle tee,
And I will on to Glenlyon,
See my love ere she die.' |
| 25 |
First he tired the black, the black,
And then he tired the brown,
And next he tired the swiftest steed
Ere he wan to the town. |
| 26 |
But for as fast as her love rade,
And as fast as he ran,
Before he wan to Glenlyon
His love was dead and gane. |
| 27 |
Then he has kissd her cheek, her cheek,
And he has kissd her chin,
And he has kissd her comely mouth,
But no life was therein. |
| 28 |
'O wae mat worth you, Glenlyon,
An ill death mat ye die!
Ye've twind me and the fairest flower
My eyes did ever see. |
| 29 |
'But I will kiss your cheek, Barbara,
And I will kiss your chin,
And I will kiss your comely mouth,
But neer woman's again. |
| 30 |
'Deal well, deal well at my love's lyke
The beer but and the wine,
For ere the morn at this same time
Ye'll deal the same at mine.' |
