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Donald of the Isles

LIZIE LINDSAY—C

[_]

Kinloch MSS, I, 253; from the recitation of Mrs Bouchart, of Dundee.

1

What wad ye gie to me, mither,
What wad ye gie to me,
If I wad gae to Edinbruch city
And bring hame Lizie Lindsey to thee?’

2

‘Meikle wad I gie to thee, Donald,
Meikle wad I gie to thee,
If ye wad gang to Edinbruch city
And court her as in povertie.’

3

Whan he cam to Edinbruch city,
And there a while to resort,
He called on fair Lizie Lindsey,
Wha lived at the Canongate-Port.

4

‘Will ye gang to the Hielands, Lizie Lindsey?
Will ye gae to the Hielands wi me?
And I will gie ye a cup o the curds,
Likewise a cup of green whey.

5

‘And I will gie ye a bed o green threshes,
Likewise a happing o grey,
259

If ye will gae to the Hielands, Lizie Lindsey,
If ye'll gae to the Hielands wi me.’

6

‘How can I gang?’ says Lizie Lindsey,
‘How can I gang wi thee?
I dinna ken whare I am gaing,
Nor wha I am gaing wi.’

7

‘My father is a cowper o cattle,
My mither is an auld dey;
My name is Donald Macdonald,
My name I'll never deny.’

8

Doun cam Lizie Lindsey's father,
A revrend auld gentleman was he:
‘If ye steal awa my dochter,
Hie hanged ye sall be.’

9

He turned him round on his heel
And [a] licht lauch gied he:
‘There is na law in a' Edinbruch city
This day that can hang me.’

10

It's doun cam Lizie's hand-maid,
A bonnie young lass was she:
‘If I had ae crown in a' the warld,
Awa wi that fellow I'd gae.’

11

‘Do ye say sae to me, Nelly?
Do ye say sae to me?
Wad ye leave your father and mither,
And awa wi that fellow wad gae?’

12

She has kilted her coats o green silk
A little below her knee,
And she's awa to the Hielands wi Donald,
To bear him companie.

13

And whan they cam to the vallies
The hie hills war coverd wi snow,
Which caused monie a saut tear
From Lizie's een to flow.

14

‘O, gin I war in Edinbruch city,
And safe in my ain countrie,
O, gin I war in Edinbruch city,
The Hielands shoud never see me.’

15

‘O haud your tongue, Lizie Lindsey,
Na mair o that let me see;
I'll tak ye back to Edinbruch city,
And safe to your ain countrie.’

16

‘Though I war in Edinbruch city,
And safe in my ain countrie,
Though I war in Edinbruch city,
O wha wad care for me!’

17

Whan they cam to the shiels o Kilcushneuch,
Out there cam an auld dey:
‘Ye're welcome here, Sir Donald,
You and your lady gay.’

18

‘Ca me na mair Sir Donald,
But ca me Donald your son,
And I'll ca ye my auld mither,
Till the lang winter nicht is begun.’

19

‘A' this was spoken in Erse,
That Lizie micht na ken;
A' this was spoken in Erse,
And syne the broad English began.

20

‘Ye'll gae and mak to our supper
A cup o the curds and whey,
And ye'll mak a bed o green threshes,
Likewise a happing o grey.’
[OMITTED]

21

‘Won up, won up, Lizie Lindsey,
Ye've lain oure lang in the day;
Ye micht hae been helping my mither
To milk the ewes and the kye.’

22

Then up got Lizie Lindsey,
And the tear blindit her ee:
‘O, gin I war in Edinbruch city,
The Hielands shoud never see me!’

23

‘Won up, won up, Lizie Lindsey,
A fairer sicht ye hae to see;
Do ye see yon bonnie braw castle?
Lady o it ye will be.’
previous section The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
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