The Mavis (1819, Falkirk)/Auld Robin Gray

When the ſheep were in the fauld,
and the kay at hame,
And a’ the baſy warld to ſleep were gang,
The woes of my heart
ſa’s in ſhowers frae my eyes,
When my auld guidman
lyes found ſleeping by me.

Young Jamie lo’ed me well.
and he fought me for his bride;
But ſaving a crown.
he had nothing beſide:
To make the crown a pound,
my Jamie went to ſea:
And the crown and the pound
were baith to me.

He hadna been awa’
a week but only twa,
Till my mother ſhe fell ſick,
and the cow was ſtolen awa’;
My father brake his arm,
and my Jamie went to ſea:
And auld Robin Gray
came a-courting of me.

​My father coudna work,
my mither coudna ſpin;
I toil’d day and night,
but their bread I coudna win;
And Robin maintain’d them baith,
and with tears in his eye,
Said Jenny, for their ſake,
O will ye marry me?

My heart it ſaid him nay,
I look’d for Jamie hack,
But the wind it blew high,
and the ſhip it went to wreck,
The ſhip it went to wreck,
Why did not Jamie die?
And why do I live
to ſay O wae’s me?

Auld Robin urged fair,
tho’ my mither didna ſpeak;
She looked in my face
till my heart was like to braks;
Sae they made me gi’e my hand,
but my heart was in the ſea;
Now auld Robin Gray
is a guid mrn to me.

I hadna been a wife
a week but only four,
When ſtiring ae night
mournfully at the door,
​I ſaw my Jamie’s ghoſt,
but coudna think it he,
Till he ſaid, I’m come back,
my love, to marry thee.

O fair did we greet,
and meikle did we ſay;
We took a parting kiſs,
and we tore ourſelves away:
I wiſh that I were dead!
but I’m no like to die:
And why do I live
to ſay, Wae’s me?

I gang like a gaiſt,
and I carena to ſpin:
I darna think on Jamie,
for that would be a ſin;
But I will do my beſt
a guid wife to be,
For auld Robin Gray
is a guid man to me.