Chorus

And it’s hooly, hooly, up the brae side; And it’s hooly, hooly, haud awa’ hame; My neighbours wad think that I was nae John Rue, Kenn’d they the errand that I had gane.

This morning I met the sun high in the muirs, But now in the wave he has dipt his red chin, While I’ve waited on Janet, and counted the hours, Exposed to the sneers o’ the hale o’ her kin.

To buy a new cledin’ I sald my auld cow, In the eyes of the lassie to mak’ me look fine, While I’ve just got ae kiss, hauf an inch frae her mou, Though I bribed her auld dad wi’ the wale o’ my swine.

He took up his staff, made a bow wi’ his bannet, (Thinks he we’ll no meet in a hurry again:) He gave a bit sigh when he thought upon Janet, He dighted his een, and was better again.

As down the fir plantin’ he gaed to the mill, O wha did he see but young Jenny, I ween? Wha lean’d on the auld doitit laird o’ the hill, A body that weel might her grandfather been.

“Now deil tak’ the lassie, an’ deil tak’ the laird!” John jumped and roar’d as he was na himsel; He cross’d like a maukin down Lizzy’s kail-yard, Nor stopt till he plunged in the baker’s draw-well.

O, love it is warm—but water is cool! And a frost-bitten body is ill to endure: The lasses had led Johnny Rue like a fool, Yet for ance in his life he has met wi’ his cure.

But, waes me! wee Johnnie’s been couthie of late, Which maks the auld wife shake her head by the fire; For he casts a sheep’s-ee on his young cousin Kate, And goud often warms up a lassie’s desire.