Songs :: :: University of Virginia Library

“Keen o'er the Moloch hill the wind,
Begrimes the land with winter snaw;
The rills are lappering up with ice,
No bright-hair'd star begins to shaw:
So bide sweet lady from the blast,
And ae night mense my lonesome ha';
I'll guide ye through the morning drift,
Before the cocks at dawning craw.”

2

Down sat the dame. The kindling hearth
Blaz'd brightly while we gaily sang;
Mute were that lady's lips, and down
Confusion-smit her head she hang.
The sweet milk curds came mix'd with cream,
Kind came the grace from our goodman;
She tasted like a new-snared bird,
And bar'd nought save a lillie han'.

3

The saintly psalm was reverend sung,
And every one had bent the knee;
When such a glance that lady cast,
The burning tears sprang in mine e'e:
She haflins show'd a rosie cheek,
And neck like sifted snaws to see;
“Oh pardon, pardon, beauteous dame,
I had a false love once like thee.”

4

Red burn'd her cheek, but mute she sat,
Out curling came her locks of brown;
The tears came dewing all her veil,
From golden selvadge dropping down.
I caught that lady in mine arms,
And rais'd her from her bended knee;
“And hadst thou once, sweet youth, a love,
And was she fair and false as me.”

5

“She had a cheek, fair dame, like thine,
Warm touch'd with heaven's rarest stain;
A tongue that made even falseness sweet,
A neck like lillies wash'd in rain:
And she's still dwelling in my eye,
And in my heart still stirring pain;
And when I see a face like her's.
I feel her falseness all again.

6

“Nay, do not wipe those spouting eyes,
Nay, tremble not thou lillie hand;
For so could weep and tremble too,
The falsest maid in Scotish land.
Oh hang not down that beauteous face,
Like red rose drown'd in balmy rain;
Alas! my heart is leaping so,
As though 'twould be deceiv'd again.

7

“Nay, do not kneel, hang not on me,
Come loose away thy lillie hand.”—
“Oh! here's upon her true love's breast,
The falsest maid in Scotish land:
And here her arms shall ever hang,
And thus her lips shall ever be,
Till thou dost scal her in thy heart,
The maid who proved so false to thee.”