THE YELLOW-HAIRED LADDIE.
SONG XXVIII.
1
“The hind berries blossom, the haw tree's new blown,
The woodlark's gray-gorlines are feather'd and flown;
The black cock crows crouse from the hill's heathy brow,
The mavis lilts love in the valley below:
The corn's in the shot-blade, the meadow's new mawn,
The doe on the mountain's at sport with the fawn;
While my winsome Jean is a bughting her ewes,”—
Sung the yellow-hair'd laddie, amang the shiel knowes.
2
The winsome young lassie look'd up from the howe,
When she heard her love's voice sounding over the knowe;
And loudly she lilted reply to the strain,
The lark heard in heaven, and answer'd again:
“The sun blythe awak'ning, says, lassie begin,
But, my ewes are new shorn, and they winna bught in;
In clusters they link o'er the lillie white lea,
O yellow-hair'd laddie come bught them for me.
3
“Yestreen in the gloaming gaun hame from the loan,
My black locks hung glistering with dew newly faun,
As loudly I sang through the gold waving broom,
‘The yellow-hair'd laddie maun be my bridegroom:’
When out lap my lad from a bush of green thyme,
With his ripe lips delightful warm closing on mine;
Saying, ‘bed with me bride,’ while my heart rapture shook,
Maist lap through my side at each kiss that he took.”
4
The grouse from the heath top loud-clamoring upsprang,
As the yellow-hair'd laddie came whistling alang;
First bounded his white-bosom'd dog through the broom,
And next wav'd his plaid and his blue bonnet plume:
And his long yellow hair flung in locks by the wind,
Like a sunbeam of Autumn shone dazzling behind;
While sparkled the bright silver clasps of his shoon,
As from the knowe head to the bughts he ran down.
5
The scythe on the grass swathe for breakfast was thrown,
And the sun beam strook eight on the old dial stone;
When the lassie came wading the yellow broom through,
With her raven locks tossing aback from her brow:
The milk reeking warm in her leglin she brings,
And loud as a bird in May morning she sings;
“O lang bloom the broom o'er the grass swaird so saft,
That perfumed my bride sheets spread green by the bught.”
