Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.

Edinburgh

The Wells o’ Wearie

By Alexander A. Ritchie (1816–1850)

SWEETLY shines the sun on auld Edinbro’ toun,

And mak’s her look young and cheerie;

Yet I maun awa’ to spend the afternoon

At the lanesome Wells o’ Wearie.

And you maun gang wi’ me, my winsome Mary Grieve,

There ’s naught in the world to fear ye;

For I ha’e asked your minnie, and she has gi’en ye leave

To gang to the Wells o’ Wearie.

O, the sun winna blink in thy bonnie blue een,

Nor tinge the white brow o’ my dearie;

For I ’ll shade a bower wi’ rashes lang and green

By the lanesome Wells o’ Wearie.

But, Mary, my love, beware ye dinna glower

At your form in the water so clearly,

Or the fairy will change you into a wee, wee flower,

And you ’ll grow by the Wells o’ Wearie.

Yestreen as I wandered there a’ alane,

I felt unco douf and drearie,

For wanting my Mary, a’ around me was but pain

At the lanesome Wells o’ Wearie.

Let fortune or fame their minions deceive,

Let fate look gruesome and eerie;

True glory and wealth are mine wi’ Mary Grieve,

When we meet by the Wells o’ Wearie.

Then gang wi’ me, my bonnie Mary Grieve,

Nae danger will daur to come near ye;

For I ha’e asked your minnie, and she has gi’en ye leave

To gang to the Wells o’ Wearie.