The Shepherd's Bonny Lassy
THE BEGGAR-LADDIE—E
[_]
Kinloch MSS, V, 249. As recited by John Laurie, Abbeygreen.
1
'Twas in the merry month of June,
When woods and gardens were all in bloom,
When woods and gardens were all in bloom,
And Phœbus shining clearly.
2
Did you not see your shepherd-swain,
Feeding his flocks upon the plain,
Feeding his flocks all one by one,
And keeping them together?
3
Did you not see yon bonny green,
Where dukes and lords and my love hath been,
Where dukes and lords and my love hath been,
And Phœbus shining clearly?
4
‘O shepherd, shepherd, tell me indeed
Which is the way you dou win your bread,
Which is the way you dou win your bread,
When feeding you give over?’
5
‘By making spindles I win my bread,
By turning whorles in time of need,
By turning whorles in time of need,
Say, lassy, can you love me?’
6
‘I could love you manifold,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
So dearly could I love you.’
7
‘You must cast off these robes of silk,
And put about my shepherd's cloak,
And you must walk down at my back,
Like a shepherd's bonny lassie.’
8
She has cast off her robes of silk,
And put about his shepherd's cloak,
And she has walkd down at his back,
Like a shepherd's bonny lassie.
9
O they walked up, and they walked down,
Till this fair maiden she's wearyed grown;
Says she, My dear, we'll go to some town,
And there tak up our lodgings.
10
O whan they cam to his father's gate,
Sae loudly, loudly as he did rap;
Says she, My dear, we'll be found in fault
For rapping here sae boldly.
11
But whan they cam to his father's hall,
O loud, loud laughter they laughed all,
Saying, Brother, I wish we had herded all,
Ye've got sic an a bonny lassie.
12
Now this young couple they were wed,
And all the way the flowers were spread,
For in disguise they were married;
She's now the young squire's lady.
