Werena My Heart Licht I Wad Dee

W
There was ance a may, and she lo’ed na men;
She biggit her bonnie bow’r doun i’ yon glen;
But now she cries, Dool and a well-a-day!
Come doun the green gait and come here away!

When bonnie young Johnnie cam’ owre the sea
He said he saw naething sae lovely as me;
He hecht me baith rings and monie braw things;
And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.

He had a wee tittie that lo’ed na me,
Because I was twice as bonnie as she;
She raised sic a pother ‘twixt him and his mother,
That werena my heart licht, I wad dee.

The day it was set, and the bridal to be
The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee;
She maned, and she graned, out o’ dolour and pain,
Till he vowed that he ne’er wad see me again.

His kin was for ane o’ a higher degree,
Said, what had he do wi’ the likes o’ me?
Albeit I was bonnie, I wasna for Johnnie:
And werena my heart licht, I wad dee.

They said I had neither cow nor calf,
Nor dribbles o’ drink rins through the draff,
Nor pickles o’meal rins through the mill-e’e;
An werena my heart licht, I wad dee.

His tittie she was baith wily and slee,
She spied me as I cam’ owre the lea,
And then she ran in and made a loud din;
Believe your ain een an ye trow na me.

His bannet stood aye fu’ round on his brow
His auld ane looked aye as weel as some’s new;
But now he lets ’t wear ony gate it will hing,
And casts himsel’ dowie upon the corn-bing.

And now he gaes daund’ring about the dykes
A a’ he dow do is to hund the tykes;
The love-lang nicht he ne’er steeks his e’e;
And werena my heart licht I wad dee.

Were I but young for thee, as I ha’e been
We should ha’e been gallopin’ doun in yon green,
And linkin’ it on the lily-white lea;
And wow, gin I were but young for thee.


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