Poems and Songs :: :: University of Virginia Library

Oh, I're fidgin' fain to drop my wark
When gloamin' shades coom softly down;
An' off I went, at th' edge o' dark,
To th' bonniest lass i' Rachda' town.
I're i' sich a flutter to tak the gate
That I'd hardly time to tee my shoon;
For my heart beat wild, with love elate,
An' my tinglin' feet kept time to th' tune.
Sing heigh, lads, heigh; sing ho, lads, ho;
What's to betide us who can know?

132

II

On wings of bliss, away I flew,
O'er moor, an' moss, an' posied lea;
I started mony a brid fro th' bough,
But never a brid as blithe as me:
An' when I coom to th' foamin' bruck,
Bonk-full o' wayter, spreadin' wide,
I took a sprint, went o'er like woint,
An' let a yard o' tother side.
Sing heigh, lads, heigh; sing ho, lads, ho;
What's to betide us who can know?

III

At seet o'th gable-end o'th cot
I rubbed my honds and marlocked round;
An' I trimmed my clooas fro yed to foot,
For I felt mysel' o' fairy ground:
But when I met wi' fickle Kate,
Hoo lost no time to let me see
That hoo'd set her cap another gate,
An' hoo wanted no more truck wi' me.
Sing heigh, lads, heigh; sing ho, lads, ho;
What's to betide us who can know?

IV

I hung about a while, an' I
Coom trailing whoam by th' leet o'th moon;
An' at every step I hove a sigh,
For my heart had sunk into my shoon:

133

An' when I'd getten a mile o'th gate
I sat me down by th' owd draw-well,
An' I felt i' sich a doleful state
That I'd hauve a mind to drown mysel'.
Sing heigh, lads, heigh; sing ho, lads, ho;
What's to betide us who can know?

VI

“What ails yon lad?” my faither said;
“There's summat has ta'en him sadly down;
For he sits i'th nook, an' he hangs his yed;
An' I doubt he's lost his gate to th' town.
Come, Robin; don't tak' thy luck so ill;
Keep up thy heart, and caper round;
For if one love winnot another will,
An' there's plenty o' lasses left o'th ground!”
Sing heigh, lads, heigh; sing ho, lads, ho;
What's to betide us who can know?