Page:The Book of Scottish Song.djvu/210

192

[ by to the the tune of "Andro and his cutty gun." Some copies of this song are double the length of what is here given, but the curtailed Tersion is much the more preferable.]

Ettrick clear there grows a brier,

An' monie a bonnie bloomin' shaw;

But Peggy's grown the fairest flower

The braes o' Ettrick ever saw.

Her cheek is like the woodland rose;

Her e'e the violet set wi' dew;

The liy's fair without compare,

Yet in her bosom tines its hue.

Had I her hame at my wee house,

That stands aneath yon mountain high,

To help me wi' the kye an' ewes,

An' in my arms at e'ening lie;

O sae blythe! an' O sae cheery!

O sae happy we wad be!

The lammie to the ewe is dear,

But Peggy's dearer far to me.

[—Tune, "Andro and his cutty gun."—The Auld-Kirk-Latch, mentioned in the fourth verse, is situated near Anstruther, in Fife, the residence of the author when the song was composed.—This is the earliest version.]

, blythe, and merry are we,

Blythe are we, aue and a';

Aften ha'e we canty been,

But sic a nicht we never saw.

The gloamin' saw us a' sit down,

And mickle mirth has been our fa';

But ca' the other toast aroun',

Till chanticleer begins to craw.

The auld kirk bell has chappit twal

Wha cares though she had chappit twa!

We're licht o' heart, and winna part,

Though time and tide should rin awa'.

Tut! never speir how wears the morn,

The moon's still blinkin' i' the sky;

And, gif like her we fill our horn,

I dinna doubt we'll drink it dry.

Should we gang by the Auld-Kirk-Latch,

Or round the haunted humlock knowe,

Auld Clootie there some chield might catch,

Or fleg us wi' a worricow!

Then fill us up a social cup,

And never mind the dapple dawn;

Just sit a while, the sun may smile,

And light us a' across the lawn.

[ by a journeyman cabinet-maker in Glasgow of the name of, author of several other convivial and patriotic songs, particularly one beginning, "Happy we've been a' thegither," and another entitled "The twa-score and twa," both of which will be found further on in the present collection. M'Phail was unfortunate in life, and died in distressed circumstances about the year 1833. He was a native, we understand, of Port-Glasgow, though long resident in the parent city.—Tune, "Andro and his cutty gun."]

, blythe, around the nappie,

Let us join in social glee;

While we're here we'll ha'e a drappie—

Scotia's sons ha'e aye been free.

Our auld forbears, when ower their yill,

And cantie bickers round did ca'.

Forsooth, they cried, anither gill!

For sweirt we are to gang awa'.

Some hearty cock wad then ha'e sung

An auld Scotch sonnet aff wi' glee,

Syne pledged his cogue: the chorus rung,

Auld Scotia and her sons are free.

Thus cracks, and jokes, and sangs gaed roun',

Till morn the screens o' light did draw:

Yet, dreich to rise, the carles roun'

Cried, Deoch an doras, then awa'!

The landlord then the nappie brings,

And toasts, Fu' happy a' may be.

Syne tooms the cogue: the chorus rings,

Auld Scotia's sons shall aye be free.