Donald Couper.
[The tune called "Donald Couper" is very old, and it can be traced back at least as far as the middle of the 17th century. The following words from Johnson's Musical Museum, Part IV., 1792, appear a mere fragment.]
Hey, Donald, howe Donald,
Hey Donald Couper!
He's gane awa' to seek a wife,
And he's come hame without her.
O Donald Couper and his man
Held to a Highland fair, man;
And a' to seek a bonnie lass—
But fient a ane was there, man.
At length he get a carlin gray,
And she's come hirplin' hame, man;
And she's fawn ower the buffet stool,
And brak' her rumple-bane, man.
Tho' simmer smiles.
[The first verse and chorus of this song are by Tannahill. The last verse but one is by Motherwell. The other stanzas are by Mr. Gibson, teacher, Greenock. R. A. Smith, who possessed Tannahill's fragment, set it to a Highland air, which he took down from the voice of a country girl in Arran.]
Tho' simmer smiles on bank and brae,
An' nature bids the heart be gay;
Yet a' the joys o' flow'ry May,
Wi' pleasure ne'er can move me.
Hey Donald! howe Donald!
Think upon your vow, Donald!
Mind the heathery knowe, Donald,
Whare ye vow'd to lo'e me.
When first ye climb'd the heath'ry steep,
Wi' me to wear my father's sheep,
The vows ye made ye said ye'd keep,
The vows ye made to lo'e me.
Hey Donald, &c.
But love is but a weary dream,
Its joys are like the summer scene,
Whose beauty is the sunny beam,
That dazzles to deceive me.
Hey Donald, &c.
I downa look on bank or brae,
I downa greet where a' are gay;
But, oh! my heart will break wi' wae,
Gin Donald cease to lo'e me.
Hey Donald, &c.
My father has a haddin braw,
His setting sun's just gaun to fa',
And Donald thou sall get it a',
My Donald gin ye'll lo'e me.
Hey Donald, &c.
The Waukin' o' the Fauld.
[This forms the opening song of Ramsay's Gentle Shepherd. The "waukin' o' the fauld" alludes to the old pastoral practice of watching the sheepfolds at night, during the weaning of the lambs, on which occasions the shepherd was generally favoured with the company of his sweetheart.]
My Peggie is a young thing,
Just enter'd in her teens,
Fair as the day, and sweet as May,
Fair as the day, and always gay:
My Peggy is a young thing,
And I'm nae very auld,
Yet weel I like to meet her at
The wauking o' the fauld.
My Peggy speaks sae sweetly
Whene'er we meet alane,
I wish nae mair to lay my care,
I wish nae mair o' a' that's rare:
My Peggy speaks sae sweetly,
To a' the lave I'm cauld;
But she gars a' my spirits glow
At wauking o' the fauld.
My Peggy smiles sae kindly
Whene'er I whisper love,
That I look down on a' the town,
That I look down upon a crown:
My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
It makes me blythe and bauld,
And naething gi'es me sic delight,
As wauking o' the fauld.
My Peggy sings sae saftly,
When on my pipe I play;
By a' the rest it is confest,
