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The Beggar-Laddie

No: 280; variant: 280A

  1. SHIPERD-BOY, what is yer trade? Or what way do ye wine yer bread? Or what way do ye wine yer bread, Fan the kipeng nout gies over?
  2. 'Spindels an forls it is my trade, An bits o sticks to them who need, Whilk is a gentell trade indeed; Bony lassie, cane ye lea me?'
  3. 'I lea you as I supos Rachell loved Jacob of old, As Jason loied his flice of gould, Sae dearly do I lea ye.
  4. 'Ye cast off yer clouty coat, An ye pitt one my scarlett cloke, An I will follou you just att the back, Becass ye are a bonny laddie.'
  5. He cust off his cloutty coat, An he patt on her scarlet cloke, An she folloued him just att the back, Becaus he was a bonny laddie.
  6. They gaed on, an forder on, Till they came to yon borrous-toun; She bought a loaf an they both satt doun, Bat she ate no we her laddie.
  7. They gaed on, an forder one, Till they came to the nest borrous-toun; I wat the lassie louked doun, For the following of her laddie.
  8. 'O if I wer on the head of yon hill, Ther I wad greet my fill, For the follouing of my laddie.'
  9. 'O had yer toung, my dearest dear, I ill ha ye back as I brought ye hear, For I canna bear yer morning.'
  10. 'O had yer toung, my dearest dear, I will gae throu the warld baith far an near, Becaus ye'r a bonny ladie.'
  11. They gad on, an forder on, Till they came to his father's haa, An he knoked ther fue loudly.
  12. 'O had ye hand, my dear[est] dear, An dou not knoke sae loudly, For fear they sud be angry.'
  13. Four-an-tuenty gentelmen They conved the beager ben, An as mony gay lade:s Conved the beager's lassie.
  14. His brother lead her throu the haa: 'I wis, brother, we had beagged a', For sick a bonny lassie.'
  15. That smae night she was bedded, An the nist morning she was wedded; She came to gued by grait misgiding, By the follouing of her laddie.