Classic Poem

— O fair maid and true maid,
Will ye not on me rue, maid?
Here 's my hand, my heart's command,
I 'll come and go by you, maid.

— I 've four-and-twenty good milk-kye,
A' calved in a[e] year, maid,
And a bonnie bill to eisin them,
Just as red as your hair, maid. —

— Your kye go as far in my heart
As they go in my heel, sir;
And, altho I be but a shepherd's dochter,
I love my body weel, sir.

— I love my body weel, sir,
And my maidenhead far better;
And I 'll keep it to marry me,
Because I 'm scarse o tocher. —

This knicht he turned his bridle about,
While the tear stood in his ee;
And he 's awa to her father gane,
As fast as he could drec.

— Gude een, gude een, you gude auld man, —
— Gude een, you earl's knicht, sir; —
— But you have a fair dochter, — he says,
— Will you grant her to me, sir?
O silks and satins she shall wear,
Indeed and so shall ye, sir. —

— I have a fair dochter, — he says,
— She 's fair of blood and bane, sir;
But an ye had your will o her
Ye wud leave her alane, sir. —

— Ye would steek her not your chamber-doors,
And bar her at your yett, sir;
And an ye had your will o her
Ye wud her soon forget, sir. —

This knicht he turned his bridle about,
While the tear stood in his ee,
And he 's awa to this fair maid gane,
As fast as he could drie.

— O fair maid and true maid,
Will ye not on me rue, maid?
Here 's my hand, my heart's command,
I 'll come and go by you, maid.

— Cast aff, cast aff your gay black gowns,
Put on your gowns of silk, maid;
Cast aff, cast aff your gay black snoods,
Put the garlands on your hair, maid. —

— It 's I can bake, and I can brew,
And good kye can I milk, sir;
But I was neer born in the time o the year
To wear the gowns o silk, sir.

— Yestreen I was a shepherd's dochter,
Whistling my hogs to the hill;
But the nicht I am an earl's lady,
I may wear what I will. —