Auld Robin Grey

When the sheep are in the fauld, and a' the kye at hame, And a' the weary warld to sleep is gane; The waes of my heart fall in show'rs fra' my e'e While my gude man sleeps sound by me.

Young Jamie lov'd me weel, and ask'd me for his bride, But saving a crown he had naithing else beside. To make the crown a pound my Jamie went to sea, And the crown and the pound were baith for me. He had na been awa a week but only twa, When my faither brake his arm, and our cow was stole awa, My mither she fell sick, and my Jamie at the sea, When Auld Robin Grey came a courting to me.

My faither cou'd na work, and my mither cou'd na spin, I toiled day and night but their bread I cou'd na win, Auld Robin fed 'em baith, and wi' tears in his e'e, Said, Jeanie, for their sakes, oh marry me: My heart it said na, and I look'd for Jamie back, But the wind it blew hard, and his ship was a wreck, His ship was a wreck, why did na Jamie die, And why was he spared to cry wae is me?

My faither urg'd me sair, but my mither did na speak, But she lookt in my face till my heart was like to break; So they gied him my hand, tho' my heart was at sea, And auld Robin Gray was a gude man to me: I had na been a wife, weeks but only four, When sitting so dowie, ae day at the door. I saw my Jamie's ghaist, but I could na think it he, Till he said, I'm came hame love, to marry thee.

Sair, sair did we greet, and mickle did we say, We took but a kiss, and we tore ourselves away, I wish I were dead, but I'm no like to die, Oh, why was I born to say, wae is me? I gang like a ghaist, and I dinna like to spin, I dare not think on Jamie, for that would be a sin; So I'll do the best I can a guide wife to be, For Auld Robin Gray is so kind to me: