The Country Wedding When Christmas comes about again, I'll hoard it up, and box it all, I'll give it to my honey: I would it were ten thousand pound, She is the darling of my heart, My master and the neighbors all But when my seven long years are out, O, then we'll wed, and then we'll bed— 771 Henry Carey [ ? -1743] THE COUNTRY WEDDING WELL met, pretty nymph, says a jolly young swain And now, gentle shepherd, pray why would you know? I hope, pretty maid, you won't take it amiss, If I tell you my reason for asking you this; I would see you safe home-(now the swain was in love!) No danger in going alone, it is true, But yet a companion is pleasanter, too; And if you could like-(now the swain he took heart)— O judge not so harshly, the shepherd replied, Unknown "O MERRY MAY THE MAID BE" O MERRY may the maid be For, foul day and fair day, He's aye bringing till her, Has aye a penny in his purse For dinner or for supper; And, gin she please, a good fat cheese And lumps of yellow butter. When Jamie first did woo me, I speired what was his calling; The truth o' what he told me, And that his house was warm and couth, The Lass o' Gowrie Behind the door a bag o' meal, O' guid hard cakes his mither bakes, And bannocks werena scanty. A guid fat sow, a sleeky cow Was standing in the byre, Whilst lazy puss with mealy mouse 66 Was playing at the fire. Guid signs are these," my mither says, And bids me tak' the miller; For, fair day and foul day, He's aye bringing till her; For meal and maut she doesna want, In winter, when the wind and rain With nut-brown ale he tells his tale, 773 John Clerk [1684-1755] THE LASS O' GOWRIE 'TWAS on a simmer's afternoon, A wee afore the sun gaed doun, A lassie wi' a braw new goun Cam' owre the hills to Gowrie. The rosebud washed in simmer's shower That e'er was seen in Gowrie. To see her cousin she cam' there; O lang the lassie I had wooed, Until she saw fair Gowrie. I pointed to my faither's ha' Yon bonnie bield ayont the shaw, Sae loun that there nae blast could blaw: Wad she no bide in Gowrie? Her faither was baith glad and wae; The bairnies thocht they wad get play If Kitty gaed to Gowrie. She whiles did smile, she whiles did greet; But now she's Leddy Gowrie. Carolina Nairne [1766-1845] THE CONSTANT SWAIN AND VIRTUOUS SOON as the day begins to waste, And nimble Becky scours away. Entering, I see in Molly's eyes "When the Kye Comes Hame" 775 As quickly checked by virgin shame: I sit, and talk of twenty things, Parting, I kiss her lip and cheek, And cry, "Farewell, my dearest Molly!" Ye learned sages, say, is this In me the effect of love, or folly? No-both by sober reason move,— COME, all ye jolly shepherds That whistle through the glen, I'll tell ye of a secret That courtiers dinna ken: What is the greatest bliss That the tongue o' man can name? 'Tis to woo a bonnie lassie When the kye comes hame. When the kye comes hame, When the kye comes hame, "Tween the gloamin and the mirk, When the kye comes hame. |