The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
Bonny May
THE BROOM OF COWDENKNOWS—B
1
It was on an evning sae saft and sae clearA bonny lass was milking the kye,
And by came a troup of gentlemen,
And rode the bonny lassie by.
2
Then one of them said unto her,‘Bonny lass, prythee shew me the way:’
‘O if I do sae, it may breed me wae,
For langer I dare nae stay.’
3
But dark and misty was the nightBefore the bonny lass came hame:
‘Now where hae you been, my ae doughter?
I am sure you was nae your lane.’
4
‘O father, a tod has come oer your lamb,A gentleman of high degree,
And ay whan he spake he lifted his hat,
And bonny, bonny blinkit his ee.’
5
Or eer six months were past and gane,Six months but and other three,
The lassie begud for to fret and to frown,
And think lang for his blinkin ee.
6
‘O wae be to my father's shepherd,An ill death may he die!
He bigged the bughts sae far frae hame,
And trysted a gentleman to me!’
7
It fell upon another fair eveningThe bonny lassie was milking her ky,
And by came the troop of gentlemen,
And rode the bonny lassie by.
8
Then one of them stopt, and said to her,‘Whae's aught that baby ye are wi?’
The lassie began for to blush, and think,
To a father as good as ye.
9
‘O had your tongue, my bonny may,Sae loud I hear you lie!
O dinnae you mind the misty night
I was in the bught with thee?’
10
Now he's come aff his milk-white steed,And he has taen her hame:
‘Now let your father bring hame the ky,
You neer mair shall ca them agen.
11
‘I am a lord of castles and towers,With fifty ploughs of land and three,
And I have gotten the bonniest lass
That is in this countrie.’
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |