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THE MILK MAIDS' REQUEST.

THREE maidens a-milking did go,
Three maidens a-milking did go,
The wind it blew high,

And the wind it blew low,
Which tossed their pails to and fro.

They met a young swain whom they knew, They met a young swain that they knew, They asked of him

If he had any skill,

How to catch them a small bird or two.

O yes, I have very good skill,
O yes, I've got very good skill,
If you'll go along with me,
To the bonnie green-wood tree,
I will catch you a bird to your will.

To the merry green-wood as they went,
To the merry green-wood as they went,
The small birds were singing
Upon ilka green tree,

While the gay rose above the lily bent.

Ripe berries are soft to the touch,

Ripe berries are soft to the touch,

And the birds of a feather,

They will all flock together,

Let the people say little or much.

From recollection;-air plaintive and pastoral.

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MAN the boat, all hands aboard, Billy boy, Billy boy,
Mark the signal, hands aboard, Billy boy,

Each moving, thrilling word,

As I steer from my adored

Lovely Nancy, says thy fancy, lingers round thy darling boy.

Is the maid so dear to thee, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Is her heart with thee at sea, Billy boy?

The maid is dear to me,

As the bark is to the tree,

Since my Nancy won my fancy, I'm her darling Billy boy.

Worth and merit bids thee prove, Billy boy, Billy boy, If she's meet to be thy love, Billy boy;

She's as meet to be my love,

As the hand is for the glove,

Since my Nancy won my fancy, I'm her darling Billy boy.

. Can the maid thou would'st adore, Billy boy, Billy boy, Row or steer the boat ashore, Billy boy?

She can row the boat ashore,

With the paddle or the oar,

Thus my Nancy won my fancy, I'm her darling Billy boy.

Then a health to thine and thee, Billy boy, Billy boy,
We will pledge when on the sea, Billy boy;

And when heaven wills again,

Our return from o'er the main,

May thy Nancy find thy fancy still the same, my Billy boy.

In the foregoing attempt, we have taken the liberty of remodelling and pruning the intermediate stanzas of an old free traditional Ballad, bearing the same choral terminations of "Billy boy;" while the first and concluding verses are necessarily original, by way of completing the chant. The air, tradition has attached to it, is peculiarly lively and spirit-stirring; and approaches pretty near that of our own Song, "Kelvin Grove," or, as an amateur would say, to an ear-set of "Robie dun a gorach."

POOR AULD MAIDENS.

THREE score and ten of us,

Poor auld maidens!

Three score and ten of us,

Poor auld maidens!

Three score and ten of us,

Lame, and blind, and comfortless,

Without a penny in our purse,
Poor auld maidens!

Yet we bear a willing mind,
Poor auld maidens!

Yet we bear a willing mind,
Poor auld maidens!

Yet we bear a willing mind,

If we a young man could but find,

For to kiss the lame and blind,
Nor die auld maidens.

Oh but young men are unco nice,
Poor auld maidens!

THE AULD WIFE O' LAUDErdale. 147

Oh but young men are unco nice,
Poor auld maidens!

Oh but young men are unco nice,
And auld men's offers we despise;
Oh! we'll get leave to shut our eyes,
An' die auld maidens.

But oh! gin we were young again,
Poor auld maidens!

But oh! gin we were young again,
Poor auld maidens!

But oh! gin we were young again,
We nae mair would lie our lane,
For we despise the scornfu' name

O' poor auld maidens!

Noted down from the singing of a Lady, we never having met with the original in print. The modern song of "Nice Young Maidens" has doubtlessly been metaphrased from the above. The air is a tolerable one of its class, lively, and peculiar to the Ballad.

THE AULD WIFE O' LAUDERDALE.

IN Lauderdale there lived a wife,

As canty a carline's ever was seen;
Her gudeman began to drap wi' age,
While she was rosy, fresh, an' green:
The auld wife in Lauderdale,
The queer auld wife in Lauderdale;
At forty she had tooth and nail,
The canty auld wife o' Lauderdale.

148

the Auld wife o' LAUDERDALE.

She growl'd on Tammie day an' night,
An' wonder'd aye that he should fail;
An' ca'd him syne a silly wight,

Else he might cast anither spale:
The auld wife in Lauderdale,

The queer auld wife in Lauderdale;

She thought that Tammie never should fail!
rosy auld wife in Lauderdale.

The

Youth, health, and strength are dauntless chiels,
When they in a' their vigour shine;

But hirplin' hostin' age comes on,

An' fun and frolics maun decline:
This ken'd the man in Lauderdale,
The douse auld man o' Lauderdale;
He fan' his strength beginning to fail,
An' parts to cool in Lauderdale.

A wonder-working doctor cam'

To Dunse, wha' cured the blin' an' lame;
She ran to Dunse withouten fail,

To ease her pains in Lauderdale:
I've come this day frae Lauderdale,
I'm sure ye've heard o' Lauderdale,
O' ilka place it is the wale,
The sweet an' pleasant Lauderdale.

O doctor, doctor, tent my moan,
I maun tell you a mournfu' tale:
My Tammie's auld an' cauldrife grown,
While I am blooming fresh and hale;

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