Whitelaw's Book of Scottish Ballads, p. 35; "taken
down from the recitation of a gentleman in Liddesdale."
| 1 |
A fair young may went up the street,
Some white-fish for to buy,
And a bonnie clerk's faen in love wi her,
And he's followed her by and by, by,
And he's followed her by and by. |
| 2 |
'O where live ye, my bonnie lass,
I pray thee tell to me;
For gin the nicht were ever sae mirk
I wad come and visit thee.' |
| 3 |
'O my father he aye locks the door,
My mither keeps the key;
And gin ye were ever sic a wily wight
Ye canna win in to me.' |
| 4 |
the clerk he had ae true brother,
And a wily wight was he;
And he has made a lang ladder,
Was thirty steps and three. |
| 5 |
He has made a cleek but and a creel,
A creel but and a pin;
And he's away to the chimley-top,
And he's letten the bonnie clerk in. |
| 6 |
The auld wife, being not asleep,
Heard something that was said;
'I'll lay my life,' quo the silly auld wife,
'There's a man i our dochter's bed.' |
| 7 |
The auld man he gat owre the bed,
To see if the thing was true;
But she's ta'en the bonny clerk in her arms,
And coverd him owre wi blue. |
| 8 |
'O where are ye gaun now, father?' she says,
'And where are ye gaun sae late?
Ye've disturbd me in my evening prayers,
And O but they were sweet!' |
| 9 |
'O ill betide ye, silly auld wife,
And an ill death may ye die!
She has the muckle buik in her arms,
And she's prayin for you and me.' |
| 10 |
The auld wife being not asleep,
Then something mair was said;
'I'll lay my life,' quo the silly auld wife,
'There's a man i our dochter's bed.' |
| 11 |
The auld wife she got owre the bed,
To see if the thing was true;
But what the wrack took the auld wife's fit?
For into the creel she flew. |
| 12 |
The man that was at the chimley-top,
Finding the creel was fu,
He wrappit the rape round his left shouther,
And fast to him he drew. |
| 13 |
'O help! O help! O hinny, now, help!
O help, O hinny, now!
For him that ye aye wished me to
He's carryin me off just now.' |
| 14 |
'O if the foul thief's gotten ye,
I wish he may keep his haud;
For a' the lee lang winter nicht
Ye'll never lie in your bed.' |
| 15 |
He's towed her up, he's towed her down,
He's towed her through an through;
'O Gude assist!' quo the silly auld wife,
'For I'm just departin now.' |
| 16 |
He's towed her up, he's towed her down,
He's gien her a richt down-fa,
Till every rib i the auld wife's side
Playd nick-nack on the wa. |
| 17 |
O the blue, the bonnie, bonnie blue,
And I wish the blue may do weel!
And every auld wife that's sae jealous o her dochter,
May she get a good keach i the creel! |
