The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

a. Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 174; from recitation. b. Kinloch MSS, VII, 259; “from Mrs K.'s recitation.” c. Aytoun's Ballads of Scotland, 1859, II, 230.

1

The Lawland lads think they are fine,
But the Hieland lads are brisk and gaucy,
And they are awa, near Glasgow toun,
To steal awa a bonnie lassie.

2

‘I wad gie my gude brown steed,
And sae wad I my gude grey naigie,
That I war fifty miles frae the toun,
And nane wi me but my bonnie Peggy.’

3

But up then spak the auld gudman,
And vow! but he spak wondrous saucie;
‘Ye may steal awa our cows and ewes,
But ye sanna get our bonnie lassie.’

4

‘I have got cows and ewes anew,
I've got gowd and gear already;
Sae I dinna want your cows nor ewes,
But I will hae your bonnie Peggy.’

272

5

‘I'll follow you oure moss and muir,
I'll follow you oure mountains many,
I'll follow you through frost and snaw,
I'll stay na langer wi my daddie.’

6

He set her on a gude brown steed,
Himself upon a gude grey naigie;
They're oure hills, and oure dales,
And he's awa wi his bonnie Peggy.

7

As they rade out by Glasgow toun,
And doun by the hills o Achildounie,
There they met the Earl of Hume,
And his auld son, riding bonnie.

8

Out bespak the Earl of Hume,
And O! but he spak wondrous sorry;
‘The bonniest lass about a' Glasgow toun
This day is awa wi a Hieland laddie!’

9

As they rade bye auld Drymen toun,
The lasses leuch and lookit saucy,
That the bonniest lass they ever saw
Sud be riding awa wi a Hieland laddie.

10

They rode on through moss and muir,
And so did they owre mountains many,
Until that they cam to yonder glen,
And she's lain doun wi her Hieland laddie.

11

Gude green hay was Peggy's bed,
And brakens war her blankets bonnie,
Wi his tartan plaid aneath her head;
And she's lain doun wi her Hieland laddie.

12

‘There's beds and bowsters in my father's house,
There's sheets and blankets, and a' thing ready,
And wadna they be angry wi me,
To see me lie sae wi a Hieland laddie!’

13

‘Tho there's beds and beddin in your father's house,
Sheets and blankets, and a' made ready,
Yet why sud they be angry wi thee,
Though I be but a Hieland laddie?

14

‘It's I hae fifty acres of land,
It's a' plowd and sawn already;
I am Donald, the Lord of Skye,
And why sud na Peggy be calld a lady?

15

‘I hae fifty gude milk kye,
A' tied to the staws already;
I am Donald, the Lord of Skye,
And why sud na Peggy be calld a lady?

16

‘See ye no a' yon castles and towrs?
The sun sheens owre them a sae bonnie;
I am Donald, the Lord of Skye,
I think I'll mak ye as blythe as onie.’

17

A' that Peggy left behind
Was a cot-house and a wee kail-yardie;
Now I think she is better by far
Than tho she had got a Lawland lairdie.