My Boy Tammy (1804-1819)/My boy Tammy
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MY BOY TAMMY.
WHAR hae ye been a' day, my boy Tammy?
Whar hae ye been a' day, my boy Tammy?
I've been by burn and flow'ry brae.
Meadow green, and mountain grey,
Courting o' this young thing,
Just come frae her mammy.
And whar gat ye that young thing,
My boy Tammy?
I gat her down in yonder howe,
Smiling on a broomy knowe,
Herding ae wee lamb and ewe,
For her poor mammy.
What said ye to the bonny bairn,
My boy Tammy?
I prais'd her een, sae lovely blue,
Her dimpled cheek, and cherry mou;———
I pree'd it aft, as ye may true!———
She said, she'd tell her mammy.
I held her to my beating heart,
My young, my smiling Lammie.
I hae a house, it cost me dear,
I've walth o' plenishen and gear,
Ye'se get it a' war't ten times mair,
Gin ye will leave your mammy.
The smile gade aff her bonnie face,
I maun nae leave my mammy;
She's gi'en me meat, she's gi'en me clais⟨e⟩,
She's been my comfort a' my days:———
My father's death brought mony waes
I canna leave my mammy.
We'll tak her hame and mak her fain,
My ain kind-hearted Lammie,
We’ll gie her meat, we'll gie her claise,
We'll be her comfort a' her days.
The wee thing gie's her hand and says,
There, gang and ask my mammy.