Highland Harry/The Braes o' Gleniffer
THE BRAES O' GLENIFFER.
Keen blaws the wind ower the braes o' Glenniffer,
The auld castle's turrets are covered wi' snaw;
How changed frae the time when I met wi' my lover
Amang the broom bushes by Stanley green shaw.
The wild flowers o'simmer were spread a sae bonny,
The mavis sang sweet frae the green birken tree;
But far to the camp they hae marched my dear Johnnie,
And now it is winter wi' Nature and me.
Then ilk thing around us was blythsome and bonny,
Then ilk thing around us was bonny and braw;
Now naething is heard but the win' whistlin' dreary,
And naething is seen but the wide spreading snaw:
The trees are a' bare, and the birds mute and dowie,
They shake the cauld drift frae their wings as they flee,
And chirp out their plaints seeming wae for my Johnnie;
'Tis winter wi' them and 'tis winter wi' me.
Yon cauld sleety cloud skiffs alang the bleak mountains,
And shakes the dark firs on the stey rocky brae,
While down the deep glen bawls the snaw flooded fountain,
That murmured sae sweet to my laddie an' me:
It's no its loud roar on the wintry wind swelling;
It's no the cauld blest brings the tear to my e'e;
For O gin I saw my bonny Scotch callan,
The dark days o' winter were simmer to me.