Ed de Moel

Child Ballads - Lyrics

Child 239
Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie
Version A

  1. Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 133, 1828.
  2. Maidment's North Countrie Garland, p. 10, 1824; Buchan's Gleanings, p. 161, 1825.

Narrative

1   'Auchanachie Gordon is bonny and braw,
He would tempt any woman that ever he saw;
He would tempt any woman, so has he tempted me,
And I'll die if i getna my love Auchanachie.'
2   In came her father, tripping on the floor,
Says, Jeanie, ye're trying the tricks o a whore;
Ye're caring for them that cares little for thee;
Ye must marry Salton, leave Auchanachie.
3   'Auchanachie Gordon, he is but a man;
Altho he be pretty, where lies his free land?
Salton's lands they lie broad, his towers they stand hie,
Ye must marry Salton, leave Auchanachie.
4   . . . . .
. . . . .
'Salton will gar you wear silk gowns fring'd to thy knee,
But ye'll never wear that wi your love Auchanachie.'
5   'Wi Auchanachie Gordon I would beg my bread
Before that wi Salton I'd wear gowd on my head,
Wear gowd on my head, or gowns fring'd to the knee;
And I'll die if I getna my love Auchanachie.
6   'O Salton's [a] valley lies low by the sea,
He's bowed on the back, and thrawin on the knee;'
. . . . .
. . . . .
7   'O Salton's a valley lies low by the sea;
Though he's bowed on the back and thrawin on the knee,
Though he's bowed on the back and thrawin on the knee,
The bonny rigs of Salton they're nae thrawin tee.'
8   'O you that are my parents to church may me bring,
But unto young Salton I'll never bear a son;
For son or for daughter, I'll never bow my knee,
And I'll die if I getna my love Auchanachie.'
9   When Jeanie was married, from church was brought hame,
When she wi her maidens sae merry shoud hae been,
When she wi her maidens sae merry shoud hae been,
She's called for a chamber, to weep there her lane.
10   'Come to your bed, Jeanie, my honey and my sweet,
For to stile you mistress I do not think it meet:'
'Mistress or Jeanie, it is a' ane to me,
It's in your bed, Salton, I never will be.'
11   Then out spake her father, he spake wi renown;
Some of you that are maidens, ye'll loose aff her gown;
Some of you that are maidens, ye'll loose aff her gown,
And I'll mend the marriage wi ten thousand crowns.
12   Then ane of her maidens they loosed aff her gown,
But bonny Jeanie Gordon she fell in a swoon;
She fell in a swoon low down by their knee;
Says, Look on, I die for my love Auchanachie!
13   That very same day Miss Jeanie did die,
And hame came Auchanachie, hame frae the sea;
Her father and mither welcomd him at the gate;
He said, Where's Miss Jeanie, that she's nae here yet?
14   Then forth came her maidens, all wringing their hands,
Saying, Alas for your staying sae lang frae the land!
Sae lang frae the land, and sae lang on the fleed!
They've wedded your Jeanie, and now she is dead.
15   'Some of you, her maidens, take me by the hand,
And show me the chamber Miss Jeanie died in;'
He kissd her cold lips, which were colder than stane,
And he died in the chamber that Jeanie died in.

This page most recently updated on 23-Apr-2011, 10:56:31.
Return to main index