The Blue Bonnets o'er the Border/Auld Robin Gray
AULD ROBIN GRAY.
Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and he sought me for his bride,
But saving a crown, he had naething beside;
To mak that crown a pund, my Jamie gade to sea,
And the crown and the pund were baith for me.
He had been awa a week but only twa,
When my mither she fell sick, and the cow was stown awa,
My father brak his arm, and my Jamie at the sea,
And auld Robin Gray cam a-courting me.
My father cou'dna work, and my mither cou'dna spin;
I toil'd day and night, but their bread I cou'dna win;
Auld Rob maintain'd them baith, and wi' tears in his ea,
Said Jenny, for their sakes, O! marry me.
My heart it said nay, I look'd for Jamie back;
But the wind it blew high, and the ship it prov'd a wreck;
The ship it prov'd a wreck, why didna Jenny die.
And why do I live to say, waes me?
Auld Robin argued sair, though my mither didna speak,
She look'd in my face till my heart was like to break;
So they gied him my hand, tho' my heart was at the sea,
Aud auld Robin Gray is a gide man to me.
I hadna been a wife a week but only four,
When sitting sae mournfully at the door,
I saw my Jamie's wraith, for I cou'dna think it he,
Until he said, Jenny, I'm come to marry thee.
O, sair did we greet, and muckle did we say,
We took but ae kiss, and tore ourselves away:
I wish I were dead, but I'm nae like to die,
And why do I live, to say wae's me.
I gang like a ghaist, I carena to spin,
I darena think on Jamie, for that would be a sin;
But I'll do my best a gude wife to be,
For auld Robin Gray is kind unto me.