Will ye gang wi' me,
lassie
To the braes o'
Birniebouzle?
Baith the yird and sea,
lassie
Will I rob to fend ye.
I'll hunt the otter an'
the brock,
The hart, the hare, an'
heather cock,
An' pu' the limpet aff
the rock,
To batten an' to mend ye.
If ye'll gang wi' me,
lassie,
To the braes o'
Birniebouzle,
Till the day ye dee,
lassie,
Want shall ne'er come
near ye.
The peats I'll carry in a
scull,
The cod an' ling wi'
hooks I'll pull,
An' reave the eggs o'
mony a gull,
To please my dainty
dearie.
Sae canty will we be,
lasie,
At the braes o'
Birniebouzle,
Donald Gun and me,
lassie,
Ever sall attend ye.
Though we hae nowther
milk nor meal,
Nor lamb nor mutton, beef
nor veal,
We'll fank the porpy and
the seal,
And that's the way to
fend ye.
An' ye sall gang sae
braw, lassie,
At the kirk o'
Birniebouzle,
Wi' littit brogues an'
a', lassie,
Wow but ye'll be vaunty!
An' you sall wear, when
we are wed,
The kirtle an' the
Hieland plaid,
An' sleep upon a heather
bed,
Sae cozy an' sae canty.
If ye'll but marry me,
lassie,
At the kirk o'
Birniebouzle,
A' my joy shall be,
lassie,
Ever to content ye.
I'll bait the line and
bear the pail,
An' row the boat and
spread the sail,
An' drag the larry at my
tail,
When mussel hives are
plenty.
Then come awa' wi' me.
lassie,
To the braes o'
Birniebouzle:
Bonnie lassie, dear
lassie,
You shall ne'er repent
ye.
For you shall own a bught
o' ewes,
A brace o' gaits, and
byre o' coos,
An' be the lady o' my
hoose,
An' lads an' lasses
plenty.
Footnote : James Hogg, 'The Ettrick Shepherd', (1770-1835), presented
himself as the successor to the mantle of Robert Burns, going as far to
claim the same birthdate of 25 January, although he was born in November.
He did however add a great deal to the canon of Scottish Literature in
poetry, song and novels.
