| |
| WHEN the sheep are in the fauld, 1 and the kye 2 at hame, | |
| And a’ the warld to rest are gane, | |
| The waes o’ my heart fa’ in showers frae my e’e, | |
| While my gudeman lies sound by me. | |
| |
| Young Jamie lo’ed me weel, and sought me for his bride; | 5 |
| But saving a croun he had naething else beside: | |
| To make the croun a pund, young Jamie gaed to sea; | |
| And the croun and the pund were baith for me. | |
| |
| He hadna been awa’ a week but only twa, | |
| When my father brak his arm, and the cow was stown 3 awa; | 10 |
| My mother she fell sick, and my Jamie at the sea— | |
| And auld Robin Gray came a-courtin’ me. | |
| |
| My father couldna work, and my mother couldna spin; | |
| I toil’d day and night, but their bread I couldna win; | |
| Auld Rob maintain’d them baith, and wi’ tears in his e’e | 15 |
| Said, Jennie, 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 was a wrack; | |
| His ship it was a wrack—why didna Jamie dee? | |
| Or why do I live to cry, Wae’s me? | 20 |
| |
| My father urgit sair: my mother didna speak; | |
| But she look’d in my face till my heart was like to break: | |
| They gi’ed him my hand, but my heart was at the sea; | |
| Sae auld Robin Gray he was gudeman to me. | |
| |
| I hadna been a wife a week but only four, | 25 |
| When mournfu’ as I sat on the stane at the door, | |
| I saw my Jamie’s wraith, 4 for I couldna think it he | |
| Till he said, I’m come hame to marry thee. | |
| |
| O sair, sair did we greet, 5 and muckle 6 did we say; | |
| We took but ae kiss, and I bad him gang away; | 30 |
| I wish that I were dead, but I’m no like to dee; | |
| And why was I born to say, Wae’s me! | |
| |
| I gang like a ghaist, and I carena to spin; | |
| I daurna think on Jamie, for that wad be a sin; | |
| But I’ll do my best a gude wife aye to be, | 35 |
| For auld Robin Gray he is kind unto me. | |
