Sweet Willie and Fair Annie
LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET—F
[_]
Kinloch MSS, III, 127, stanzas 1-17; the remainder in Dr
John Hill Burton's papers. Another copy in Kinloch MSS,
V, 339. Both in Dr Burton's handwriting.
1
Sweet Willie and Fair Annie,
As they sat on yon hill,
If they hed sat frae morn till even,
They hed no talked their fill.
[OMITTED]
2
Willie's dune him hame again,
As fast as gang could he:
‘An askin, an askin, my mother,
And I pray ye'll grant it me.
3
‘Oh will I merry the nut-brown maid,
Wi her oxen and her kye?
Or will I merry my Fair Annie,
That hes my heart for aye?’
4
‘Oh if ye merry your Fair Annie,
Your mither's malison you'll wun;
But if ye merry the nut-brown may,
Ye will get her blessin.’
5
‘Oh voe's me, mother,’ Willie said,
‘For Annie's bonny face!’
‘Little metter o that, my son Willie,
When Annie hesna grace.’
6
‘Oh voe's me, mither,’ Willie said,
‘For Annie's bonny han!’
‘And what's the metter, son Willie,
When Annie hesna lan?
7
‘But ye will merry the nut-brown may,
Wi her oxen and her kye;
But ye will merry the nut-brown may,
For she hes my hert for aye.’
8
Out and spak his sister Jane,
Where she sat be the fire:
‘What's the metter, brother Willie?
Tack ye your heart's desire.
9
‘The oxen may die into the pleuch,
The cow drown i the myre;
And what's the metter, brother Willie?
Tak ye your heart's desire.’
10
‘Whare will I get a bonny boy,
That will wun hose and shune,
That will run on to Anny's bower,
And come right sune again?’
11
‘Ye'll bid her come to Willie's weddin,
The morn is the day;
Ye'll bid her come to Willie's weddin,
And no make no delay.
12
‘Ye'll forbid her to put on the black, the black,
Or yet the dowie brown;
But the white silk and the reed skarlet,
That will shine frae town to town.’
13
He is on to Anie's bower,
And tirled at the pin,
And wha was sae ready as Annie hersel
To let the ladie in.
14
‘Ye'r bidden to come to Willie's weddin,
The morn is the day;
Ye'r bidden come to Willie's weddin,
And no mack no delay.
15
‘Ye'r forbidden to put on the black, the black,
Or yet the dowie brown;
But the white silk and the red scarlet,
That will shine frae town to town.
16
‘Ye'r forbidden to put on the black, the black,
Or yet the dowie gray;
But the white silk and the red scarlet,
That will shine frae brae to brae.’
17
‘It's I will come to Willie's weddin,
Gif the morn be the day;
It's I will come to Willie's weddin,
And no mack no delay.’
18
Annie's steed was silver shod,
And golden graithed behin;
At every teet o her horse mane
A silver bell did ring.
19
When Annie was in her sadle set,
She glanced like the moon;
There was as much gould abov her brow
Would buy an earldom.
20
When Annie was on her sadel set,
She glanced like the fire;
There was as much gould above her brow
Was worth a yearl's hire.
21
Annie gaed in the heigh, heigh hill,
And Willie the dowie glen;
Annie alane shone brighter
Than Willie and a' his men.
22
‘Oh wha is that, my ane Willie,
That glances in your ee?’
‘Oh it is Annie, my first fore love,
Come till see you and me.’
23
‘Oh far got ye that water, Annie,
That washes ye so wan?’
‘Oh I got it aneth yon marble stane,
Where ye will nere get nane.
24
‘Ye've been brunt sare anent the sun,
And rocket i the reek;
And tho ye wad wash till doom's day,
Ye wad never be so white.’
25
‘If this be Annie, your first fore love,
Come our weddin to see,
She has by far owr brent a brow
To lat ye bide by me.’
26
When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
And a' men bun to bed,
Sweet Willie and his nut-brown bride
In ae chamber were laid.
27
The hedna weel layn down, layn down,
But nor hed fallen asleep,
When up and started Fair Annie,
And stud at Willie's feet.
28
‘Vo be to you, nut-brown bride,
Wi yer oxen and your sheep!
It is Annie, my first fore love,
And I fear sair she is dead.
29
‘Vo be te you, nut-brown bride,
An ill death you betide!
For you've parted me and my first fore love,
And I fear death is her guide.
30
‘You'll seddle to me the black, the black,
You'll seddle to me the brown,
Till I ride on to Annie's bower
And see how she is bune.’
31
When he came to Fair Annie's bower,
And lighted and gaed in,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
32
Her father was at her heed, her heed,
Her mother at her feet,
Her sister she was at her side,
Puttin on her winding sheet.
33
‘It's kiss will I yer cheek, Annie,
And kiss will I your chin,
And I will kiss your wan, wan lips,
Tho there be no breath within.
34
‘Ye birl, ye birle at my luve's wake
The white bread and the wine,
And or the morn at this same time
Ye'll birle the same at mine.’
35
They birled, they birled at Annies wake
The white bread and the wine,
And ere the morn at that same time
At his they birled the same.
36
The one was buried at Mary's kirk,
The other at Mary's quire,
And throw the one there sprang a birk,
And throw the other a brier.
37
And ay at every year's ane
They grew them near and near,
And every one that passed them by
Said, They be lovers dear.
