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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

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Bar aye your bower door weel

KEMPY KAY—F

[_]

Campbell MSS, II, 101.

1

As I cam oer yon misty muir,
And oer yon grass-green hill,
There I saw a campy carle
Going to the mill.
And bar aye yer bower door weel weel,
And bar aye yer bower door weel.

2

I lookit in at her window,
And in at her hove hole,
And there I saw a fousome fag,
Cowering oer a coal.

3

‘Get up, get up, ye fousome fag,
And make yer face fou clean;
For the wooers will be here the night,
And your body will be seen.’

4

He gave her a gay cravat,
'T was of an auld horse-sheet;
He gave her a gay goud ring,
'Twas of an auld tree root.

5

He laid his arms about her neck,
They were like kipple-roots;
And aye he kissd her wi his lips,
They were like meller's hoops.

6

When they were laid in marriage bed,
And covered oer wi fail,
The knocking mell below their heads
Did serve them wondrous weel.

7

Ilka pap into her breasts
Was like a saffron bag,
And aye his hand at her a [OMITTED] e
Was tearing up the scabs.

8

Ilka hair into her head
Was like a heather-cow,
And ilka louse that lookit out
Was like a brookit ewe.