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Legends & Sagas
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218A: The False Lover Won Back
218A.1 A FAIR maid sat in her bower-door,
Wringing her lily hands,
And by it came a sprightly youth,
Fast tripping oer the strands.
218A.2 Where gang ye, young John, she says,
Sae early in the day?
It gars me think, by your fast trip,
Your journeys far away.
218A.3 He turnd about wi surly look,
And said, Whats that to thee?
Im gaen to see a lovely maid,
Mair fairer far than ye.
218A.4 Now hae ye playd me this, fause love,
In simmer, mid the flowers?
I shall repay ye back again,
In winter, mid the showers.
218A.5 But again, dear love, and again, dear love,
Will ye not turn again?
For as ye look to other women,
I shall to other men.
218A.6 Make your choice of whom you please,
For I my choice will have;
Ive chosen a maid more fair than thee,
I never will deceive.
218A.7 But shes kilt up her claithing fine,
And after him gaed she;
But aye he said, Yell turn again,
Nae farder gae wi me.
218A.8 But again, dear love, and again, dear love,
Will ye never love me again?
Alas for loving you sae well,
And you nae me again!
218A.9 The first an town that they came till,
He bought her brooch and ring;
And aye he bade her turn again,
And gang nae farder wi him.
218A.10 But again, dear love, and again, dear love,
Will ye never love me again?
Alas for loving you sae well,
And you nae me again!
218A.11 The next an town that they came till,
He bought her muff and gloves;
But aye he bade her turn again,
And choose some other loves.
218A.12 But again, dear love, and again, dear love,
Will ye never love me again?
Alas for loving you sae well,
And you nae me again!
218A.13 The next an town that they came till,
His heart it grew mair fain,
And he was as deep in love wi her
As she was ower again.
218A.14 The next an town that they came till,
He bought her wedding gown,
And made her lady of has and bowers,
Into sweet Berwick town.
218B: The False Lover Won Back
218B.1 THE sun shines high on yonder hill,
And low on yonder town;
In the place where my love Johnny dwells,
The sun gaes never down.
218B.2 O when will ye be back, bonny lad,
O when will ye be hame?
When heather-hills are nine times brunt,
And a grown green again.
218B.3 O thats ower lang awa, bonny lad,
O thats ower lang frae hame;
For Ill be dead and in my grave
Ere ye come back again.
218B.4 He put his foot into the stirrup
And said he maun go ride,
But she kilted up her green claithing
And said she woudna bide.
218B.5 The firsten town that they came to,
He bought her hose and sheen,
And bade her rue and return again,
And gang nae farther wi him.
218B.6 Ye likena me at a, bonny lad,
Ye likena me at a;
Its sair for you likes me sae weel
And me nae you at a.
218B.7 The nexten town that they came to,
He bought her a braw new gown,
And bade her rue and return again,
And gang nae farther wi him.
218B.8 The nexten town that they came to,
He bought her a wedding ring,
And bade her dry her rosy cheeks,
And he would tak her wi him.
218B.9 O wae be to your bonny face,
And your twa blinkin een!
And wae be to your rosy cheeks!
Theyve stown this heart o mine.
218B.10 Theres comfort for the comfortless,
Theres honey for the bee;
Theres comfort for the comfortless,
Theres nane but you for me.
Next: 219. The Gardener