Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Lady Anne Lindsay. 17501825477. Auld Robin Gray
WHEN the sheep are in the fauld, and the kye 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 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 urged me 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, tho’ my heart was in 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,—for I couldna think it he, | |
Till he said, ‘I’m come hame to marry thee.’ | |
O sair, sair did we greet, and muckle did we say; | |
We took but ae kiss, and we tore ourselves 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. |