The Book of Scottish Song/Alake for the Lassie

Alake for the Lassie.

[William Laidlaw.]

Alake for the lassie! she's no right at a',
That lo'es a dear laddie, an' he far awa';
But the lassie has muckle mair cause to complain,
That lo'es a dear lad, when she's no lo'ed again.

The fair was just comin', my heart it grew fain
To see my dear laddie, to see him again;
My heart it grew fain, an' lap light at the thought
Of milkin' the ewes my dear Jamie wad bught.

The bonnie grey morn scarce had open'd her e'e,
When we set to the gate a' wi' nae little glee;
I was blythe, but my mind oft misga'e me right sair,
For I hadna seen Jamie for five months an' mair.

I' the hirin' right soon my dear Jamie I saw,
I saw nae ane like him, sae bonnie an' braw;
I watch'd an' baid near him, his motion to see,
In hopes aye to catch a kind glance o' his e'e.

He never wad see me in ony ae place:
At length I gaed up an' just smiled in his face,
I wonder aye yet my heart brackna in twa,—
He just said, "How are ye?" and steppit awa'.

My neeber lads strave to entice me awa';
They roos'd me, an' hecht me ilk thing that was braw;
But I hatit them a', an' I hatit the fair,
For Jamie's behaviour had wounded me sair.

His heart was sae leal, and his manners sae kind!
He's someway gane wrang, he may alter his mind;
An' sud he do sae, he's be welcome to me;
I'm sure I can never like ony but he.

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