The Shipherd Boy
THE BEGGAR-LADDIE—A
[_]
The “Old Lady's Collection,” No 35; north of Scotland.
1
Shiperd-boy, what is yer trade?
Or what way do ye wine yer bread?
Or what way do ye wine yer bread,
Fan the kipeng nout gies over?
2
‘Spindels an forls it is my trade,
An bits o sticks to them who need,
Whilk is a gentell trade indeed;
Bony lassie, cane ye lea me?’
3
‘I lea you as I supos
Rachell loved Jacob of old,
As Jason loied his flice of gould,
Sae dearly do I lea ye.
4
‘Ye cast off yer clouty coat,
An ye pitt one my scarlett cloke,
An I will follou you just att the back,
Becass ye are a bonny laddie.’
5
He cust off his cloutty coat,
An he patt on her scarlet cloke,
An she folloued him just att the back,
Becaus he was a bonny laddie.
6
They gaed on, an forder on,
Till they came to yon borrous-toun;
She bought a loaf an they both satt doun,
Bat she ate no we her laddie.
7
They gaed on, an forder one,
Till they came to the nest borrous-toun;
I wat the lassie louked doun,
For the following of her laddie.
8
‘O if I wer on the head of yon hill,
Ther I wad greet my fill,
For the follouing of my laddie.’
9
‘O had yer toung, my dearest dear,
I ill ha ye back as I brought ye hear,
For I canna bear yer morning.’
10
‘O had yer toung, my dearest dear,
I will gae throu the warld baith far an near,
Becaus ye'r a bonny ladie.’
11
They gad on, an forder on,
Till they came to his father's haa,
An he knoked ther fue loudly.
12
‘O had yer hand, my dear[est] dear,
An dou not knoke sae loudly,
For fear they sud be angry.’
13
Four-an-tuenty gentelmen
They conved the beager ben,
An as mony gay ladës
Conved the beager's lassie.
14
His brother lead her throu the haa:
‘I wis, brother, we had beagged a',
For sick a bonny lassie.’
15
That same night she was bedded,
An the nist morning she was wedded;
She came to gued by grait misgiding,
By the follouing of her laddie.
