Volume Ii Part 8 (1/2)
La.s.s, AN' YE LO'E ME, TELL ME NOW.[59]
”Afore the muirc.o.c.k begin to craw, La.s.s, an' ye lo'e me, tell me now, The bonniest thing that ever ye saw, For I canna come every night to woo.”
”The gouden broom is bonny to see, An' sae is the milk-white flower o' the haw, The daisy's wee freenge is sweet on the lea, But the bud of the rose is the bonniest of a'.”
”Now, wae light on a' your flow'ry chat, La.s.s, an' ye lo'e me, tell me now; It 's no the thing that I would be at, An' I canna come every night to woo!
The lamb is bonny upon the brae, The leveret friskin' o'er the knowe, The bird is bonny upon the tree-- But which is the dearest of a' to you?”
”The thing that I lo'e best of a', La.s.s, an' ye lo'e me, tell me now; The dearest thing that ever I saw, Though I canna come every night to woo, Is the kindly smile that beams on me, Whenever a gentle hand I press, And the wily blink frae the dark-blue e'e Of a dear, dear la.s.sie that they ca' Bess.”
”Aha! young man, but I cou'dna see, What I lo'e best I 'll tell you now, The compliment that ye sought frae me, Though ye canna come every night to woo; Yet I would rather hae frae you A kindly look, an' a word witha', Than a' the flowers o' the forest pu', Than a' the lads that ever I saw.”
”Then, dear, dear Bessie, you shall be mine, Sin' a' the truth ye hae tauld me now, Our hearts an' fortunes we 'll entwine, An' I 'll aye come every night to woo; For O, I canna descrive to thee The feeling o' love's and nature's law, How dear this world appears to me Wi' Bessie, my ain for good an' for a'!”
[59] This song was suggested to the Shepherd by the words adapted to the formerly popular air, ”La.s.s, gin ye lo'e me”--beginning, ”I hae laid a herring in saut.”
PULL AWAY, JOLLY BOYS!
Here we go upon the tide, Pull away, jolly boys!
With heaven for our guide, Pull away!
Here 's a weather-beaten tar, Britain's glory still his star, He has borne her thunders far, Pull away, jolly boys!
To your gallant men-of-war, Pull away!
We 've with Nelson plough'd the main, Pull away, jolly boys!
Now his signal flies again, Pull away!
Brave hearts, then let us go To drub the haughty foe, Who once again shall know, Pull away, gallant boys!
That our backs we never shew, Pull away!
We have fought and we have sped, Pull away, gallant boys!
Where the rolling wave was red, Pull away!
We 've stood many a mighty shock, Like the thunder-stricken oak, We 've been bent, but never broke, Pull away, gallant boys!
We ne'er brook'd a foreign yoke, Pull away!
Here we go upon the deep, Pull away, gallant boys!
O'er the ocean let us sweep, Pull away!
Round the earth our glory rings, At the thought my bosom springs, That whene'er our pennant swings, Pull away, gallant boys!
Of the ocean we 're the kings, Pull away!