The Book of Scottish Song/The lass that made the bed

The lass that made the bed.

["The bonnie lass that made the bed to me" is the name of an old song, here inadmissable, said to have been composed on a love adventure of Charles the Second, when in Scotland in 1650-51. The heroine was a daughter of the laird of Port Lethem, in Aberdeenshire. Burns took up the theme, and wrote a version of the song, which was subject almost to as strong objections, on the point of delicacy, as the original. He afterwards pruned his first sketch as follows:]

When winter's wind was blawing cauld,
⁠As to the north I bent my way,
The mirksome nicht did me enfauld,
⁠I kenn'd na where to lodge till day.

A charming girl I chanced to meet
⁠Just in the middle of my care,
And kindly she did me invite
⁠Her father's humble cot to share.

Her hair was like the gowd sae fine,
⁠Her teeth were like the ivory,
Her cheeks like lilies dipt in wine,
⁠The lass that made the bed to me.

Her bosom was the drifted snaw,
⁠Her limbs like marble fair to see;
A fairer form nane ever saw,
⁠Than her's that made the bed to me.

She made the bed baith lang and braid,
⁠Wi' twa white hands she spread it down,
She bade "Gude nicht," and, smiling, said,
⁠"I hope ye'll sleep baith saft and soun'."

Upon the morrow when I raise,
⁠I thank'd her for her courtesie,
A blush cam' o'er the comely face
⁠O' her that made the bed to me.

I clasp'd her waist, and kiss'd her syne;
⁠The tear stude twinkling in her e'e:
O dearest maid, gin ye'll be mine,
⁠Ye aye sall make the bed to me.

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