University of Virginia Library

The Place where my love Johnny dwells

THE FALSE LOVER WON BACK—B

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Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 144; from the recitation of a woman born in Buchan.

1

The sun shines high on yonder hill,
And low on yonder town;
In the place where my love Johnny dwells,
The sun gaes never down.

2

‘O when will ye be back, bonny lad,
O when will ye be hame?’
‘When heather-hills are nine times brunt,
And a' grown green again.’

3

‘O that's ower lang awa, bonny lad,
O that's ower lang frae hame;
For I'll be dead and in my grave
Ere ye come back again.’

4

He put his foot into the stirrup
And said he maun go ride,
But she kilted up her green claithing
And said she woudna bide.

5

The firsten town that they came to,
He bought her hose and sheen,
And bade her rue and return again,
And gang nae farther wi him.

6

‘Ye likena me at a', bonny lad,
Ye likena me at a';’
‘It's sair for you likes me sae weel
And me nae you at a'.’

7

The nexten town that they came to,
He bought her a braw new gown,
And bade her rue and return again,
And gang nae farther wi him.

8

The nexten town that they came to,
He bought her a wedding ring,
And bade her dry her rosy cheeks,
And he would tak her wi him.

9

‘O wae be to your bonny face,
And your twa blinkin een!
And wae be to your rosy cheeks!
They've stown this heart o mine.

10

‘There's comfort for the comfortless,
There's honey for the bee;
There's comfort for the comfortless,
There's nane but you for me.’