The Book of Scottish Song/The lassie o' the glen
The lassie o’ the glen.
[This little lyric is the earliest poetical production of Angus Fletcher, and first appeared in several Newspapers about the year 1802 or 3. It was written to a Gaelic air, but it may also be sung to the good old tune of "Willie was a wanton wag." Glendaruel, one of the richest and prettiest valleys in Scotland, forms the parish of Kilmodan, in Cowal; and is generally called, by way of pre-eminence, The Glen. The river Ruel winds slowly and beautifully through its whole length.]
Beneath a hill, 'mang birken bushes,
By a burnie's dimpilt linn,
I told my love, with artless blushes,
To the lassie o' the Glen.
O the birken bank sae grassy
Hey the burnie's dimpilt linn!
Dear to me's the bonnie lassie
Living in yon rashie glen.
Lanely Ruel! thy stream sae glassie,
Shall be aye my fav'rite theme;
For, on thy bank my Highland lassie
First confess'd a mutual flame.
O the birken, &c.
There, as she mark'd the sportive fishes
Upward spring wi' quiv'ring fin,
I slyly stole some melting kisses,
Frae the lassie o' the glen.
O the birken, &c.
What bliss! to sit, and nane to fash us,
In some sweet wee bowery den;
Or fondly stray amang the rashes,
Wi' the lassie o' the glen.
O the birken, &c.
And though I wander now unhappy,
Far firae scenes we haunted then,
I'll ne'er forget the—bank sae grassy,
Nor—the lassie o' the glen.
O the birken, &c.