The Kitchie-Boy
No: 252; variant: 252E
- AND she has built a lofty ship,
And set her to the main;
The masts o her were gude reed gowd,
And the sails o silver clear.
- 'Ye winna bide three months awa
When ye'll return again,
In case your lady lichter be,
And your baby want the name.'
- But the wind blew high,
The mariners they did land at Lundin soon.
- A lady sat on the castell-wa,
Beheld baith dale and down,
And there she saw this lofty ship,
Comin sailin in the Downs.
- 'Look out, look out, my maidens a',
Ye seena what I see;
For I do see as bonny a ship
As ever sailied the sea,
And the master o her's the bonniest boy
That ever my eyes did see.'
- She's taen her mantell her about,
Her cane intill her han,
And she's away to the shore-side,
Till invite the square to dine.
- 'O will ye come to our castell?
Or will ye sup or dine?'
'O excuse me, madam,' he said,
'For I hae but little time.'
- The wind blew high,
The mariners they did land at home again.
- The old man sat in the castell-wa,
Beholding dale and down,
And there he spied this goodly ship
Come sailin to the town.
- 'Look out, look out, my dauchter dear,
Ye see not what I see;
For I do see as bonny a ship
As ever sailed the sea.
- 'And the master o her's the bonniest boy
That my eyes did ever see,
And if I were a woman as I'm a man
My husband he should be.'
- 'Haud far awa frae me, fader,
Haud far awa frae me,
For I never had a lad but ane,
And he's far awa at sea.
- 'There is a love-token atween us twa,
It'll be mair ere it be less,
An aye the langer he bides awa
It will the mair encreass.'
- He's taen his mantell him about,
His cane intil his hand,
And he's awa to the shore-side,
To invite the square to dine.
- 'O will ye come to our castle?
Or will ye sup or dine?'
'Indeed I will, kind sir,' he said,
'Tho I've but little time.'
- The lady sat on castle-wa,
Beholding dale and down,
But he's put his veil upon his face,
That she might not him ken.