44
MY BOY TAMMY.
Words by HECTOR M'NEIL, Key-note D minor.
WHARK hae ye been a' day,
My boy Tammy?
I've been by burn and flowery brae,
Meadow green and mountain grey,
Courting o' this young thing,
Just come frae her mammy.
And whare gat ye that young thing,
My boy Tammy ?
I sat 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 bonnie bairn,
My boy Tammy?
I praised her een, sae lovely blue,
Her dimpled cheeck, and cherry mou',
I preed it aft, as ye may trow! -
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' plenishin' and gear;
Ye'se get it a war't ten times mair,
Gin ye will leave your mammy.
The smile gaed off her bonnie face-
I maunna leave my mammy:
She's gien me meat, she's gien me claes,
She's been my comfort a' my days:
My father's death brought monie 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 claes,
We'll be her comfort a' her days.
The wee thing gies her hand and says,
There! gang and ask my mammy.
Has she been to the kirk wi' thee,
My boy Tammy?
She has been to the kirk wi' me,
And the tear was in her e'e.
But O! she's but a young thing,
Just come frae her mammy.
