A Beggar Cam oer the Lea

A beggar a beggar cam oer the lea
He was askin lodgins for charity
He was seekin lodgins for charity
Would ye loue a beggar man o?
Lassie wi ma tow row ri

O a beggar a beggar I'll never loue again
I had a daughter and Jeannie was her name
I had a daughter and Jeannie was her name
She ran awa wi the beggin man o
Laddie wi ma tow row ri

I'll bend my back and I'll bow my knee
I'll put a black patch oer my ee
And a beggar a beggar they'll tak me to be
And awa wi you I'll gang o
Laddie wi ma tow row ri

O lassie O lassie, you're far too young
And ye dinnae hae the cant o the beggin tongue
Ye hannae got the cant o the beggin tongue
And wi me ye winnae gang o
Lassie wi ma tow row ri

She's bent her back, aye and bowed her knee
She's put a black patch oer her ee
And kilted her skirts up aboon her knees
And awa wi him she's gane o
Laddie wi ma tow row ri

Yer daughter Jean she's comin oer the lea
She's takin hame her bairnies three
She has ane on her back and the other's on her knee
And the other ane is toddlin hame o
Lassie wi ma tow row ri

Alison Cross

Aul Alison Cross she lives in yon tower
The ugliest witch in the North Countrie
She's trysted me a day til her bower
And many a braw speech she's made tae me

Refrain:
Awa, awa ye ugly witch
Haud far awa an lat me be
Before I'll kiss yer ugly moo
I'll rather toddle aroon the tree.

She showed me a mantle o red scarlet
Wrought wi gold and fringes fine
Gin ye'll be my leman so true
This goodly gift it sall be thine

(Refrain)

She showed me a sark o the softest silk
Weel wrought wi pearls aboon the band
Gin ye'll be my leman so true
This goodly gift at yer command

(Refrain)

She showed me a cup o the good red gold
Weel wrought wi jewels sich fair and fine
Gin ye'll be my leman so true
This goodly gift it sall be thine

(Refrain)

She's ta'en out her grass-green horn
She's blew it three times loud and shrill
Swore by the moon and the stars aboon
She'd gar him rue the day that he was born

(Refrain)

But she's ta'en out her silver wand
She's turned three times aroon the tree
Muttered sich words that my senses failed
And I fell down senseless tae the ground

(Refrain)

Wi silver basin and silver caimb
To caimb my heidie upon her knee
Aye on ilkie Saturday nicht
Aul Alison Cross she comes tae me

(Refrain)

But it fell upon last Halloween
When the seely court cam ridin by
The queen's lichted on a gowan bank
Nae far frae the tree where I did lie

(No Refrain)

She's lifted me in her milkwhite hand
She's straiked me three times on her knee
She's turned me back tae my proper shape
Nae mair I'll toddle aroon the tree.

The College Boy

Lady Mary Anne luikit oer the castle wall
When she saw three bonnie laddies a-playin at a ball
And the youngest he was the flower among them all
He's my bonny bonny boy aye and growin-o

Father, dear father, I'll tell ye what I'll do
We'll send my love to college for another year or two
Aye and round about his cap I will sew the ribbons blue
For to let the ladies know that he's growin-o

Lady Mary Anne was a flower in the dew
Sweet and bonnie, bright was her hue
And the longer she blossomed the sweeeter she grew
For the lily in the bud will be bonnier-o

Young Charlie Cochran was a sprout o an aek
Blithe and bonny, aye straight was his make
And the sun it shone all for his sake
And he will be the brag o the forest-o

The summer it is gane and the leaves they are green
The days are awa that we hae seen
For better days I trust will come again
For my bonny laddie's young aye and growin-o

Who Will Buy My Pretty Flowers?

By the moonbeams gaslight glitters
Stands a little fragile girl
As she stands she cries so bitter
Who will buy my pretty flowers?

Hundreds passing go unheeding
In this evening's waning hours
As she stands with tearful pleading
Who will buy my pretty flowers?

The Doddered Auld Carle

A doddered auld carle cam oer the lea