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Lammikin

LAMKIN—Q

[_]

Finlay's Scottish Ballads, II, 45.

1

Lammikin was as gude a mason
as ever hewed a stane;
He biggit Lord Weire's castle,
but payment gat he nane.
[OMITTED]

2

‘Where are the lads o this castle?’
says the Lammikin:
‘They are a' wi Lord Weire, hunting,’
the false nourice did sing.

3

‘Where are the lasses o this castle?’
says the Lammikin:
‘They are a' out at the washing,’
the false nourice did sing.

4

‘But where's the lady o this house?’
says the Lammikin:
‘She is in her bower sewing,’
the false nourice did sing.

5

‘Is this the bairn o this house?’
says the Lammikin:
‘The only bairn Lord Weire aughts,’
the false nourice did sing.
[OMITTED]
337

6

‘Still my bairn, nourice,
O still him if ye can:’
‘He will not still, madam,
for a' his father's lan.’

7

‘O gentle nourice, still my bairn,
O still him wi the keys:’
‘He will not still, fair lady,
let me do what I please.’

8

‘O still my bairn, kind nourice,
O still him wi the ring:’
‘He will not still, my lady,
let me do any thing.’
[OMITTED]

9

The first step she stepped,
she stepped on a stane;
The next step she stepped,
she met the Lammikin.
[OMITTED]

10

‘O nourice, wanted ye your meat?
or wanted ye your fee?
Or wanted ye for any thing
a fair lady could gie?’

11

‘I wanted for nae meat, ladie,
I wanted for nae fee;
But I wanted for a hantle
a fair lady could gie.’
[OMITTED]

12

‘I wish a' may be weel,’ he says,
‘wi my ladie at hame;
For the rings upon my fingers
are bursting in twain.’
[OMITTED]

13

‘There's bluid in my nursery,
there's bluid in my ha,
There's bluid in my fair lady's bower,
an that's warst of a'.’

14

O sweet, sweet sang the birdie,
upon the bough sae hie,
But little cared false nourice for that,
for it was her gallows-tree.
[OMITTED]
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