Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/631

 JAMES HOGG

Why the boys should drive away Little sweet maidens from the play, Or love to banter and fight so well, That 's the thing I never could tell.

But this I know, I love to play Through the meadow, among the hay; Up the water and over the lea, That 's the way for Billy and me.

��5 2 8 Kilmeny

BONNIE Kilmeny gaed up the glen ; But it wasna to meet Duneira's men, Nor the rosy monk of the isle to see, For Kilmeny was pure as pure could be. It was only to hear the yorlin sing, And pu' the cress-flower round the spring; The scarlet hypp and the hindberrye, And the nut that hung frae the hazel tree; For Kilmeny was pure as pure could be. But lang may her minny look o'er the wa', And lang may she seek i' the green-wood shaw; Lang the laird o' Duneira blame, And lang, lang greet or Kilmeny come hamc!

When many a day had come and fled,

When grief grew calm, and hope was dead,

When mass for Kilmeny's soul had been sung,

When the bedesman had pray'd and the dead bell rung,

528 yorlin] the yellow-hammer. hindberrye] bramble,

minny] mother. greet] mourn.

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