Volume Ii Part 39 (1/2)
She heard the craw sayin 't, high on the tree sittin', And robin was chirpin 't the brown leaves amang.
Oh, what is 't that pits my puir heart in a flutter?
And what gars the tears come sae fast to my e'e?
If I wasna ettled to be ony better, Then what gars me wish ony better to be?
I 'm just like a lammie that loses its mither; Nae mither or friend the puir lammie can see; I fear I hae tint my puir heart a' the gither, Nae wonder the tear fa's sae fast frae my e'e.
Wi' the rest o' my claes I hae row'd up the ribbon, The bonnie blue ribbon that Jamie gae me; Yestreen, when he gae me 't, and saw I was sabbin', I 'll never forget the wae blink o' his e'e.
Though now he said naething but Fare-ye-weel, Lucy!
It made me I neither could speak, hear, nor see, He cudna say mair but just, Fare-ye-weel, Lucy!
Yet that I will mind till the day that I dee.
The lamb likes the gowan wi' dew when it 's drowkit; The hare likes the brake, and the braird on the lea, But Lucy likes Jamie;--she turn'd and she lookit, She thocht the dear place she wad never mair see.
Ah, weel may young Jamie gang dowie and cheerless, And weel may he greet on the bank o' the burn; For bonnie sweet Lucy, sae gentle and peerless, Lies cauld in her grave, and will never return.
[118] This exquisite ballad was contributed by Laidlaw to Hogg's ”Forest Minstrel.” There are two accounts as to the subject of it, both of which we subjoin, as they were narrated to us during the course of a recent excursion in Tweedside. According to one version, Lucy had been in the service of Mr Laidlaw, sen., at Blackhouse, and had by her beauty attracted the romantic fancy of one of the poet's brothers. In the other account Lucy is described as having served on a farm in ”The Glen” of Traquair, and as having been beloved by her master's son, who afterwards deserted her, when she died of a broken heart. The last stanza was added by Hogg, who used to a.s.sert that he alone was responsible for the death of poor Lucy. ”The Glen” is a beautiful mountain valley opening on the Tweed, near Innerleithen; it formerly belonged to Mr Alexander Allan, but it is now the possession of Charles Tennent, Esq., Glasgow.
HER BONNIE BLACK E'E.
AIR--_”Saw ye my Wee Thing.”_
On the banks o' the burn while I pensively wander, The mavis sings sweetly, unheeded by me; I think on my la.s.sie, her gentle mild nature, I think on the smile o' her bonnie black e'e.
When heavy the rain fa's, and loud, loud the win' blaws, An' simmer's gay cleedin' drives fast frae the tree; I heedna the win' nor the rain when I think on The kind lovely smile o' my la.s.sie's black e'e.
When swift as the hawk, in the stormy November, The cauld norlan' win' ca's the drift owre the lea; Though bidin' its blast on the side o' the mountain, I think on the smile o' her bonnie black e'e.
When braw at a weddin' I see the fine la.s.ses, Though a' neat an' bonnie, they 're naething to me; I sigh an' sit dowie, regardless what pa.s.ses, When I miss the smile o' her bonnie black e'e.
When thin twinklin' sternies announce the gray gloamin', When a' round the ingle sae cheerie to see; Then music delightfu', saft on the heart stealin', Minds me o' the smile o' her bonnie black e'e.
Where jokin' an' laughin', the lave they are merry, Though absent my heart, like the lave I maun be; Sometimes I laugh wi' them, but aft I turn dowie, An' think on the smile o' my la.s.sie's black e'e.
Her lovely fair form frae my mind 's awa' never, She 's dearer than a' this hale warld to me; An' this is my wish, may I leave it if ever She rowe on anither her love-beaming e'e.
ALAKE FOR THE La.s.sIE!
AIR--_”Logie o' Buchan.”_