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341

Lammikin

LAMKIN—Y

[_]

Findlay's MSS, I, 173, “from J. Milne, who wrote it down from recitation by John Duncan.”

1

Lie in your room, my wife,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

2

‘You'll fasten doors and windows,
you'll fasten them out an in,
For if you leave ae window open
Lammikin will come in.’

3

They've fastened doors an windows,
they've fastened them out an in,
But they have left ae window open,
an Lammikin cam in.

4

‘O where are a' the women
that dwell here within?’
‘They're at the well washin,
and they will not come in.’

5

‘O where are a' the men
that dwell here within?’ ‘They're at the [OMITTED],
and they will not come in.’

6

‘O where is the lady
that dwells here within?’
‘She's up the stair dressin,
an she will not come doun.’

7

‘It's what will we do
to mak her come doun?
We'll rock the cradle, nourrice,
an mak her come doun.’

8

They [hae] rocked the cradle
to mak her come doun,
[OMITTED]
the red bluid out sprung.

9

‘O still the bairn, nourrice,
O still him wi the bell:’
‘He winna still, my lady,
till ye come doun yersel.’

10

The first step she steppit,
it was upon a stane;
The next step she steppit,
she keppit Lammikin.

11

‘O mercy, mercy, Lammikin,
hae mercy upo me!
Tho ye hae killed my young son,
ye may lat mysel abee.’

12

‘O it's will I kill her, nourrice,
or will I lat her be?’
‘O kill her, kill her, Lammikin,
she neer was gude to me.’

13

‘O it's wanted ye your meat?
or wanted ye your fee?’
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

14

‘I wanted not my meat,
I wanted not my fee,
But I wanted some bounties
that ladies can gie.’
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