Cathrine Jaffray
KATHARINE JAFFARY—E
[_]
Skene MS., p. 81; taken down in the north of Scotland,
1802-3.
1
Bonny Cathrin Jaffray,
That proper maid sae fare,
She has loved young Lochinvar,
She made him no compare.
2
He courted her the live-long winter-night,
Sae has he the simmer's day;
He has courted her sae long
Till he sta her heart away.
3
But the lusty laird of Lamendall
Came frae the South Country,
An for to gain this lady's love
In entreid he.
4
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
He has gained her friends' consent,
An sett the wedding-day.
5
The wedding-day it being set,
An a' man to it [OMITTED],
She sent for her first fair love,
The wedding to come to.
6
His father an his mother came,
[OMITTED]
They came a', but he came no;
It was a foul play.
7
Lochinvar, as his comrads
Sat drinkine at the wine,
[‘Fie] on you,’ said his comrads,
‘Tak yer bride for shame.
8
‘Had she been mine, as she was yours,
An done as she has done to you,
I wad tak her on her bridal-day,
Fra a' her companie.
9
‘Fra a' her companie,
Without any other stay;
I wad gie them frogs insted o fish,
An tak their bride away.’
10
He gat fifty young men,
They were gallant and gay,
An fifty maidens,
An left them on a lay.
11
Whan he cam in by Callien bank,
An in by Callien brae,
He left his company
Dancing on a lay.
12
He cam to the bridal-house,
An in entred he;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
13
‘There was a young man in this place
Loved well a comly may,
But the day she gaes an ither man's bride,
An played him foul play.
14
‘Had it been me as it was him,
An don as she has don him tee,
I wad ha geen them frogs instead o fish,
An taen their bride away.’
15
The English spiered gin he wad fight;
It spak well in his mind;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
16
‘It was no for fightin I cam here,
But to bear good fellowship;
Gae me a glass wi your bridegroom,
An so I go my way.’
17
The glass was filled o guid red wine,
[OMITTED] between them twa:
‘Man, man I see yer bride,
An so I gae my waa.’
18
He was on guid horseback,
An whipt the bride him wi;
She grat an wrang her hands,
An said, ‘It is foul play.
19
[OMITTED]
‘An this I dare well say,
For this day I gaed anither man's bride,
An it's been foul play.’
20
But now sh's Lochinvar's wife,
[OMITTED]
He gaed them frogs instead o fish,
An tain their bride away.
