“Awa’ wi’
beguiling,” cried the youth, smiling;—
Aff went the bonnet;
the lint-white locks flee;
The belted plaid fa’ing,
her white bosom shawing—
Fair stood the
lo’ed maid wi’ the dark rolling e’e.
“Is it my wee thing?
is it mine ain thing?
Is it my true
love here that I see?”
“Oh, Jamie, forgi’e
me! your heart ’s constant to me;
I ’ll never
mair wander, dear laddie, frae thee!”
[12] This song was first published, in May 1791, in The Bee, an Edinburgh periodical, conducted by Dr James Anderson.
MY BOY, TAMMY.[13]
“Whare hae ye been a’
day,
My
boy, Tammy?
Whare hae ye been a’
day,
My
boy, Tammy?”
“I ’ve been by
burn and flow’ry brae,
Meadow green, and mountain
gray,
Courting o’ this young
thing,
Just
come frae her mammy.”
“And whare got ye that
young thing,
My
boy, Tammy?”
“I gat her down in yonder
howe,
Smiling on a broomy knowe,
Herding a wee lamb and ewe
For
her poor mammy.”
“What said ye to the
bonnie bairn,
My
boy, Tammy?”
“I praised her een,
sae bonny blue,
Her dimpled cheek, and cherry
mou’;
I pree’d it aft, as
ye may true;—
She
said she ’d tell her mammy.
“I held her to my beating
heart,
My
young, my smiling lammie!
’I hae a house, it cost
me dear;
I ‘ve wealth o’
plenishin’ and gear;—
Ye ‘se get it a’,
were ’t ten times mair,
Gin
ye will leave your mammy.’
“The smile gaed aff
her bonnie face—
’I
maunna leave my mammy;
She ’s gi’en me
meat, she ’s gi’en me claise,
She ‘s been my comfort
a’ my days;
My father’s death brought
mony waes—
I
canna leave my mammy.’”
“We ’ll tak her
hame, and mak her fain,
My
ain kind-hearted lammie;
We ’ll gi’e her
meat, we ’ll gi’e her claise,
We ‘ll be her comfort
a’ her days.”
The wee thing gi’es
her hand and says—
“There!
gang and ask my mammy.”
“Has she been to kirk
wi’ thee,
My
boy, Tammy?”
“She has been to kirk
wi’ me,
And the tear was in her e’e;
But, oh! she ’s but
a young thing,
Just
come frae her mammy.”
[13] This beautiful ballad was first printed, in 1791, in The Bee. It is adapted to an old and sweet air, to which, however, very puerile words were attached.
OH, TELL ME HOW FOR TO WOO![14]
TUNE—"Bonnie Dundee."
“Oh, tell me, bonnie
young lassie!
Oh, tell me how for to woo!
Oh, tell me, bonnie sweet lassie!
Oh, tell me how for to woo!
Say, maun I roose your cheeks like the morning?
Lips, like the roses, fresh moisten’d
wi’ dew;
Say, maun I roose your een’s pawkie scorning?
Oh, tell me how for to woo!