Auld Robin Gray (1)/Auld Robin Gray

by Anne Barnard

For other versions of this work, see Auld Robin Gray.

AULD ROBIN GRAY.

WHen the ſheep are in the fauld & the ky at hame,
And a' the warld to ſleep are gane,
The waes of my heart fa's in ſhow'rs frae me eye,
When my goodman lies ſound by me.

Young Jamie loo'd me well, and he ſought me for his bride,
But, ſaving a crown, he had naething beſide,
To make that crown a pound, my Jamie gade to ſea,
And the crown and the pound were baith for me.

He hadna' been awa' a week but only twa',
When my mither ſhe fell ſick and the cow was ſtown awa’,
My father brake his arm, and my Jamie gade to ſea,
And auld Robin Gray came a courting o' me.

My father coudna' work, and my mither coudna' ſpin,
I toil’d day and night, but their bread I coudna' win,
And Rob maintain’d them baith, & wi' tears in his eye,
Said, Jenny for their ſakes, O marry me.

My heart it ſaid nay, I look'd for Jamie back,
But the wind it blew high, and the ſhip it was a wreck,
The ſhip it was a wreck, why didna' Jenny die?
And why did I live to cry waes me?

Auld Robin argu'd fair; tho’ my mither didna' ſpeak,
She look'd in my face, till my heart was like to break,
So they gied him my hand, tho' my heart was i' the ſea,
And auld Robin Gray is a guidman to me.

I hadna' been a wife, a week but only four,
When ſitting ſae mournfully at the door,
I ſaw my Jamie's warth, but I didna' think it he,
Till he ſaid I'm come back for to marry thee.

O fair did we greet, and muckle did we ſay,
We took but ae kiſs, and we tore ourſelves away,
I wiſh I were dead, but I'm no like to die,
And why did I live, to ſay waes me.

I gang like a ghaiſt, and I carena to ſpin,
I darena think on Jamie for that wou’d be a ſin,
But I’ll do my beſt, a guid wife to be,
For auld Robin Grey is kind to me.