The Book of Scottish Song/Old Nanny's Song

Old Nanny’s Song.

[From Hogg's "Brownie of Bodsbeck."]

The kye are rowting in the lone,
The ewes bleat on the brae,
O, what can ail my auld gudeman,
He bides sae lang away!

An' aye the Robin sang by the wud,
An' his note had a waesome fa',
An' the corbie croupit in the clud,
But he durstna light ava;

Till out cam' the wee grey moudiwort
Frae 'neath the hollow stane,
An' it howkit a grave for the auld grey head
For the head lay a' its lane!

But I will seek out the robin's nest,
An' the nest of the ouzel shy,
For the siller hair that is beddit there
Maun wave aboon the sky.

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