“There was ance a may, and she lo’ed na men; She biggit her bonnie bow’r doun i’ yon glen; But now she cries, Dool and a well-a-day! Come doun the green gait and come here away!
When bonnie young Johnnie cam’ owre the sea He said he saw naething sae lovely as me; He hecht me baith rings and monie braw things; And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
He had a wee tittie that lo’ed na me, Because I was twice as bonnie as she; She raised sic a pother ‘twixt him and his mother, That werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
The day it was set, and the bridal to be The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee; She maned, and she graned, out o’ dolour and pain, Till he vowed that he ne’er wad see me again.
His kin was for ane o’ a higher degree, Said, what had he do wi’ the likes o’ me? Albeit I was bonnie, I wasna for Johnnie: And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
They said I had neither cow nor calf, Nor dribbles o’ drink rins through the draff, Nor pickles o’meal rins through the mill-e’e; An werena my heart licht, I wad dee.
His tittie she was baith wily and slee, She spied me as I cam’ owre the lea, And then she ran in and made a loud din; Believe your ain een an ye trow na me.
His bannet stood aye fu’ round on his brow His auld ane looked aye as weel as some’s new; But now he lets ’t wear ony gate it will hing, And casts himsel’ dowie upon the corn-bing.
And now he gaes daund’ring about the dykes A a’ he dow do is to hund the tykes; The love-lang nicht he ne’er steeks his e’e; And werena my heart licht I wad dee.
Were I but young for thee, as I ha’e been We should ha’e been gallopin’ doun in yon green, And linkin’ it on the lily-white lea; And wow, gin I were but young for thee.”