Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 155.
| 1 |
A bonny laddie brisk and gay,
A handsome youth sae brisk and gaddie,
And he is on to Glasgow town,
To steal awa his bonny Peggy. |
| 2 |
When he came into Glasgow town,
Upon her father's green sae steady,
'Come forth, come forth, old man,' he says,
'For I am come for bonny Peggy.' |
| 3 |
Out it spake her father then;
'Begone from me, ye Highland laddie;
There's nane in a' the West Country
Dare steal from me my bonny Peggy.' |
| 4 |
'I've ten young men all at my back,
That ance to me were baith true and steady;
If ance I call, they'll soon be nigh,
And bring to me my bonny Peggy.' |
| 5 |
Out it spake her mother then,
Dear! but she spake wondrous saucy;
Says, Ye may steal a cow or ewe,
But I'll keep sight o my ain lassie. |
| 6 |
'Hold your tongue, old woman,' he says,
'Ye think your wit it is fu ready;
For cow nor ewe I ever stole,
But I will steal your bonny Peggy.' |
| 7 |
Then all his men they boldly came,
That was to him baith true and steady,
And thro the ha they quickly went,
And forth they carried bonny Peggy. |
| 8 |
Her father gae mony shout and cry,
Her mother cursed the Highland laddie;
But he heard them as he heard them not,
But fixd his eye on bonny Peggy. |
| 9 |
He set her on his milk-white steed,
And he himsell on his grey naigie;
Still along the way they rode,
And he's awa wi bonny Peggy. |
| 10 |
Says, I wad gie baith cow and ewe,
And sae woud I this tartan plaidie,
That I was far into the north,
And alang wi me my bonny Peggy. |
| 11 |
As they rode down yon pleasant glen,
For trees and brambles were right mony,
There they met the Earl o Hume,
And his young son, were riding bonny. |
| 12 |
Then out it spake the young Earl Hume,
Dear! but he spake wondrous gaudie;
'I'm wae to see sae fair a dame
Riding alang wi a Highland laddie.' |
| 13 |
'Hold you tongue, ye young Earl Hume,
O dear! but ye do speak right gaudie;
There's nae a lord in a' the south
Dare eer compete wi a Highland laddie.' |
| 14 |
Then he rade five miles thro the north,
Thro mony hills sae rough and scroggie,
Till they came down to a low glen,
And he lay down wi bonny Peggy. |
| 15 |
Then he inclosed her in his arms,
And rowd her in his tartan plaidie:
'There are blankets and sheets in my father's house,
How have I lien down wi a Highland laddie!' |
| 16 |
Says he, There are sheep in my father's fauld,
And every year their wool is ready;
By the same our debts we pay,
Altho I be but a Highland laddie. |
| 17 |
'There are fifty cows in my father's byre,
That all are tyed to the stakes and ready,
Five thousand pounds I hae ilk year,
Altho I be but a Highland laddie. |
| 18 |
'My father has fifty well shod horse,
Besides your steed and my grey naigie;
I'm Donald o the Isle o Sky,
Why may not you be ca'd a lady? |
| 19 |
'See ye not yon fine castle,
On yonder hill that stands sae gaudie?
And there we'll win this very night,
Where ye'll enjoy your Highland laddie.' |
