Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/Donald of the Isles
Donald of the Isles.
It's of a young lord o' the Hielands,
A bonnie braw castle had he;
And he says to his lady mither,
"A boon ye will grant to me:
Shall I gang to Edinbruch city,
And fetch hame a lady wi' me?"
A bonnie braw castle had he;
And he says to his lady mither,
"A boon ye will grant to me:
Shall I gang to Edinbruch city,
And fetch hame a lady wi' me?"
"Ye may gae to Edinbruch city,
And fetch hame a lady wi' thee;
Ent see that ye bring her but flatterie,
And court her in great povertie."
And fetch hame a lady wi' thee;
Ent see that ye bring her but flatterie,
And court her in great povertie."
"My coat, mither, shall be o' the plaiden,
A tartan kilt over my knee;
Wi' hosens, and. brogues, and the bonnet,
I'll court her wi' nae flatterie."
A tartan kilt over my knee;
Wi' hosens, and. brogues, and the bonnet,
I'll court her wi' nae flatterie."
When he cam' to Edinbruch city,
He played at the ring and the ba',
And saw mony a bonny young lady,
But Lizzie Lindsay was first o' them a'.
He played at the ring and the ba',
And saw mony a bonny young lady,
But Lizzie Lindsay was first o' them a'.
Syne dressed in his Hieland grey plaiden,
His bonnet abune his e'e-bree,
He called on fair Lizzie Lindsay,
Says, "Lizzie, will ye fancy me?
His bonnet abune his e'e-bree,
He called on fair Lizzie Lindsay,
Says, "Lizzie, will ye fancy me?
"And gae to the Hielands, my lassie,
And gae, gae wi' me?
O gae to the Hielands, Lizzie Lindsay,
I'll feed ye on curds and green whey.
And gae, gae wi' me?
O gae to the Hielands, Lizzie Lindsay,
I'll feed ye on curds and green whey.
"And ye'se get a, bed o' green bracken,
My plaidie will hap thee and me;
Ye'se lie in my arms, bonnie Lizzie,
If ye'll gae to the Hieland's wi' me."
My plaidie will hap thee and me;
Ye'se lie in my arms, bonnie Lizzie,
If ye'll gae to the Hieland's wi' me."
"O how can I gae to the Hielands,
Or how can I gae wi' thee,
When I dinna ken whare I'm gaing,
Nor wha 'tis I hae to gae wi'?"
Or how can I gae wi' thee,
When I dinna ken whare I'm gaing,
Nor wha 'tis I hae to gae wi'?"
"My father, he is an auld shepherd,
My mither, she is an auld dey;[1]
My name, it is Donald Macdonald,
My name I will never deny."
My mither, she is an auld dey;[1]
My name, it is Donald Macdonald,
My name I will never deny."
"O Donald, I'll gie you five guineas,
To sit but ae hour in my room,
Till I tak' aflt your ruddy picture,
When I hae it I'll never think lang."
To sit but ae hour in my room,
Till I tak' aflt your ruddy picture,
When I hae it I'll never think lang."
"I dinna care for your five guineas,
It's you that's the jewel to me;
I've plenty o' kye in the Hielands,
To feed you wi' curds and green whey.
It's you that's the jewel to me;
I've plenty o' kye in the Hielands,
To feed you wi' curds and green whey.
"And ye'se get a bonnie blue plaidie,
Wi' red and green stripes through it a';
And I'll be the lord of your dwelling,
And that's the best picture o' a'.
Wi' red and green stripes through it a';
And I'll be the lord of your dwelling,
And that's the best picture o' a'.
"And I'm laird of a' my possessions,
The king canna boast o' nae mair;
And ye'se hae my true heart in keeping,
There'll no other ane hae a share.
The king canna boast o' nae mair;
And ye'se hae my true heart in keeping,
There'll no other ane hae a share.
"Sae gae to the Hieland's, my lassie,
O gae awa' happy wi' me;
O gae to the Hielands, Lizzie Lindsay,
And herd the wee lammies wi' me!"
O gae awa' happy wi' me;
O gae to the Hielands, Lizzie Lindsay,
And herd the wee lammies wi' me!"
"O how can I gae wi' a stranger,
O'er hills and o'er glens frae my hame?"
"I tell ye I am Donald Macdonald,
I'll ever be proud o' my name."
O'er hills and o'er glens frae my hame?"
"I tell ye I am Donald Macdonald,
I'll ever be proud o' my name."
Down cam' Lizzie Lindsay's ain father,
A knight o' a noble degree;
Says, "If ye do steal my dear daughter,
It's hanged ye quickly shall be!"
A knight o' a noble degree;
Says, "If ye do steal my dear daughter,
It's hanged ye quickly shall be!"
On his heel he turned round sae quickly,
And a light lauch he did gie:
"There's nae law in your Edinbruch city
This day than can daur to hang me!"
And a light lauch he did gie:
"There's nae law in your Edinbruch city
This day than can daur to hang me!"
Then up bespak Lizzie's bower-maiden—
And a bonnie young lassie was she—
"If I had but ae crown in the warld,
It's Donald that I wad gae wi'."
And a bonnie young lassie was she—
"If I had but ae crown in the warld,
It's Donald that I wad gae wi'."
"O Helen, wad ye leave your coffer,
And a' your silk kirtles sae braw,
And gang wi' a puir Hieland laddie,
And leave father, mither, and a'?
And a' your silk kirtles sae braw,
And gang wi' a puir Hieland laddie,
And leave father, mither, and a'?
"But I think he's a witch or a warlock,
Or something o' that fell degree,
For I'll gae awa' wi' young Donald,
Whatever my fortune may be."
Or something o' that fell degree,
For I'll gae awa' wi' young Donald,
Whatever my fortune may be."
Then Lizzie laid down her silk mantle,
And put on her waiting-maid's gown;
And afi and aw a' to the Hielands,
She's gane wi' this young shepherd loun.
And put on her waiting-maid's gown;
And afi and aw a' to the Hielands,
She's gane wi' this young shepherd loun.
Thro' glens and o'er mountains they wandered,
Till Lizzie had scantly a shoe;
"Alas, and O hone!" says fair Lizzie,
"Sad was the first day I saw you!
Till Lizzie had scantly a shoe;
"Alas, and O hone!" says fair Lizzie,
"Sad was the first day I saw you!
I wish I were in Edinbruch city;
For, sair, sair, this pastime I rue."
"O haud yer tongue now, bonnie Lizzie,
For yonder's the shealing, my hame;
For, sair, sair, this pastime I rue."
"O haud yer tongue now, bonnie Lizzie,
For yonder's the shealing, my hame;
And there's my gude auld honest mither,
That's coming to meet ye, her lane."
"O ye're welcome, ye're welcome, Sir Donald,
Ye're welcome hame to your ain!"
That's coming to meet ye, her lane."
"O ye're welcome, ye're welcome, Sir Donald,
Ye're welcome hame to your ain!"
"O ca' me na young Sir Donald,
But ca' me Donald, my son."
And this they hae spoken in Erse,
That Lizzie might not understand
But ca' me Donald, my son."
And this they hae spoken in Erse,
That Lizzie might not understand
"Ye'll gae now and mak' to our supper,
A cup of the curds and green whey;
And ye'll mak' a bed o' green rashes,
Likewise a happer o' grey."
A cup of the curds and green whey;
And ye'll mak' a bed o' green rashes,
Likewise a happer o' grey."
The morning was drumlie and drearie,
They lay till 'twas lang o' the day;
"Win up, win up, bonnie Lizzie,
And help at the milking the kye."
They lay till 'twas lang o' the day;
"Win up, win up, bonnie Lizzie,
And help at the milking the kye."
"O slowly raise up Lizzie Lindsay,
The saut tear blindit her e'e;
O were I in Edinbruch city,
The Hielands should never see me!"
The saut tear blindit her e'e;
O were I in Edinbruch city,
The Hielands should never see me!"
He led her up to a hie mountain,
And bade her look out far and wide:
"I'm Lord o' thae Isles and the mountains,
And now you're my lady and bride.
And bade her look out far and wide:
"I'm Lord o' thae Isles and the mountains,
And now you're my lady and bride.
"Sae rue na ye've come to the Hielands,
Sae rue na ye've come aff wi' me;
For ye're the Macdonald's braw lady,
And will be to the day that ye dee."
Sae rue na ye've come aff wi' me;
For ye're the Macdonald's braw lady,
And will be to the day that ye dee."
- ↑ Dairywoman.