Ballads in the Cumberland dialect :: :: University of Virginia Library

JENNY.
“Tho' weel I leyke ye, Jwohnny lad,
I cannot, munnet marry yet!
My peer auld mudder's unco bad,
Sae we a wheyle mun tarry yet;
For ease or comfort she has neane—
Leyfe's just a lang, lang neet o' pain;
I munnet leave her aw her leane,
And wunnet, wunnet marry yet!”

JWOHNNY.
“O Jenny! dunnet brek this heart,
And say, we munnet marry yet;
Thou cannot act a jillet's part—
Why sud we tarry, tarry yet?

139

Think, lass, of aw the pains I feel;
I've leyk'd thee lang, nin kens how weel!
For thee, I'd feace the varra de'il—
O say not, we mun tarry yet!”

JENNY.
“A weddet leyfe's oft dearly bowt;
I cannot, munnet marry yet:
Ye ha'e but little—I ha'e nought,
Sae, we a wheyle mun tarry yet!
My heart's yer awn, ye needna fear,
But let us wait anudder year,
And luive, and toil, and screape up gear—
We munnet, munnet marry yet!
'Twas but yestreen, my mudder said,
“O, dawtie! dunnet marry yet!
I'll suin lig i' my last cauld bed;
Tou's aw my comfort—tarry yet.”
Whene'er I steal out o' her seet,
She seeghs, and sobs, and nought gangs reet—
Whist!—that's her feeble voice;—Guid neet!
We munnet, munnet marry yet!”