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1750-1825
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 ee,
While my gudeman lies sound by me.
Young Jamie loed me weel, and sought me for his bride;
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;
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 toild day and night, but their bread I couldna win;
Auld Rob maintaind them baith, and wi tears in his ee
Said, Jennie, for their sakes, O, marry me!
My heart it said nay; I lookd for Jamie back;
But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a wrack;
His ship it was a wrackWhy didna Jamie dee?
Or why do I live to cry, Waes me!
My father urged me sair: my mother didna speak;
But she lookd in my face till my heart was like to break:
They gied 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,
When mournfu as I sat on the stane at the door,
I saw my Jamies wraith,for I couldna think it he,
Till he said, Im 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:
I wish that I were dead, but Im no like to dee;
And why was I born to say, Waes me!
I gang like a ghaist, and I carena to spin;
I daurna think on Jamie, for that wad be a sin;
But Ill do my best a gude wife aye to be,
For auld Robin Gray he is kind unto me.
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