Bess the Gawkie (1828)/Bess the Gawkie

BESS THE GAWKIE.

Blythe young Bess to Jean did say,
Will ye gang to yon sunny brae,
Where flocks do feed, and herds do stray,
⁠And sport a while wi' Jamie?
Ah, na! lass, I'll no gang there,
Not about Jamie tak a care,
Nor about Jamie tak a care,
⁠For he's ta'en up wi' Maggie,

For hark, and I will tell you, lass,
Did I not see young Jamie pass,
Wi' meikle blytheness in his face,
⁠Out o'er the muir to Maggie:
I wat he gae her mony a kiss,
And Maggie took them nae amiss;
'Tween ilka smack pleas'd her wi' this--
⁠That Bess was but a gawkie.

For when a civil kiss I seek,
She turns her head, and thraws her cheek,
And for an hour she'll hardly speak;
⁠Wha'd no ca' her a gawkie?
But sure my Maggie has mair sense,
She'll give a score with an offence;
Now gie me ane into the mense,
⁠And ye shall be my dawtie.

O Jamie, ye hae mony ta'en,
But I will never stand for ane,
Or twa when we do meet again,
⁠So ne'er think me a gawkie.
Ah, na! lass, that canna be,
Sic thoughts as these are far from me,
Or ony that sweet face that see,
E'er to think thee a gawkie.

But, whisht! nae mair o' this we'll speak,
For yonder Jamie does us meet;
Instead of Meg he kiss'd sae sweet,
⁠I trow, he likes the gawkie.
O dear Bess, I hardly knew,
When I came by, your gown sae new;
I think you've got it wet wi' dew:
⁠Quoth she, that's like a gawkie.

It's wet wi' dew: and 'twill get rain,
And I'll get gowns when it is gane;
Sae ye may gang the gate ye came,
⁠And tell it to your dawtie.
The guilt appear'd in Jamie's cheek;
He cried, O cruel maid, but sweet,
If I should gang another gate,
⁠I ne'er should see my dawtie.

The lasses fast frae him they flew,
And left poor Jamie sair to rue,
That ever Maggie's face he knew,
⁠Or e'er ca'd Bess a gawkie.
As they gade o'er the muir they sang,
The hills and dales with echo rung,
The hills and dales with echo rung,
⁠"Gang o'er the muir to Maggie.