Blaeberry courtship, or, Allan's love to the farmer's daughter/Blaeberry courtship, or, Allan's love to the farmer's daughter

THE
BLAEBERRY COURTSHIP.

WILL you go to the highlands my jewel with ⟨me⟩
Will you go to the highlands the flocks for to ⟨see⟩
It is health to my jewel to breathe the sweet ⟨air⟩
And to pull the blaeberries in the forest so fair.

To the highlands my jewel I will not go with ⟨thee⟩
For the road it is long, and the hills they are ⟨high⟩
I love those vallies and sweet corn fields,
More than all the blaeberries your wild ⟨mountains⟩ yield.

Our hills they are bonny when the heather’s ⟨in⟩ bloom,
It would cheer a fine fancy in the month of ⟨June⟩
To pull the blaeberries and carry them home,
And set them on your table when December ⟨comes⟩ on.

Out spake her father, that saucy old man,
You might have chosen a mistress among ⟨your⟩ own clan,
It’s but poor entertainment to our lowland ⟨dames⟩
To promise them berries and blue heather ⟨blooms⟩

Kilt up your green plaidie, walk over yon hill.
For a sight of your highland face does me much ill,
For I will wed my daughter and spare pennies too,
To whom my heart pleases, and what’s that to you.

My plaid it is broad, it has colours anew,
Goodman, for your kindness, I’ll leave it with you;
I have got a warm cordial keeps the cold from me,
The blithe blinks of love from your daughter’s eye.

My flocks they are thin, and my lodgings but bare,
And you that has meikle, the more you can spare;
Some of your spare pennies with me you will share.
And you winna send your lassie o’er the hills bare.

He went to his daughter to give her an advice,
Said, if you go with him, I’m sure you’re not wise;
He is a rude highland fellow, as poor as a crow;
He’s the clan of Caithness for ought that I know.

But if you go with him, I’m sure you’ll go bare,
You shall have nothing father or mother can spare.
Of all I possess I’ll deprive you for ay,
If o’er the hills, lassie, you do go away.

It’s father keep what you’re not willing to give,
For fain I would go with him as sure as I live;
What signifies gold or treasure to me,
If the highland hills are between my love and me?

Now she is gone with him in spite of them a’,
Away to a place that her eyes never saw:
He had no steed for to carry her on,
But still he said, Lassie, think not the road long.

In a warm summer’s evening they came to a glen,
Being weary’d with travel, the lassie sat down;
Get up, my brave lassie, let us step on,
For the sun will go round before we get home.

My feet is all torn, my shoes are all rent,
I’m wearied with travel, and just like for to faint;
Were it not for the sake of your kind company;
I would lie in the desart until that I die.

The day is far spent, and the night coming on,
And step you aside to yon bonny mill-town,
And there you'll ask lodging for thee and for me,
For glad would I be in a barn to be.

The place it is bonny and pleasant indeed,
Bur the people is hard-hearted to us that's in need;
Perhaps they’ll not grant us their barn nor byre,
But I’ll go and ask them as it is your desire.

The lassie went foremost, sure I was to blame,
To ask for a lodging myself I thought shame;
The lassie replied, with tears not a few,
It’s ill ale, said she, that’s sour when it’s new.

⟨A⟩ short time thereafter they came to a grove
⟨Where⟩ his flocks they were feeding in numberio s droves,
(illegible text)n stood musing his flocks for to see,
(illegible text) on, says the lady, that's no pleasure to me;

⟨Beautiful⟩ laddie in green tartan tvews,
(illegible text) two bonnie lasses were bughting in ewes;
⟨They⟩ said, honour’d master are you come again,
⟨Long⟩, long have we look’d for you coming home.

(illegible text)ht in your ewes lasses and go your way home,
(illegible text) brought a swan from the north, I have her to tame;
⟨Her⟩ feathers are fallen, and where can she lie?
(illegible text) best bed in the house her bed shall be.

⟨The⟩ lady’s heart was far down, it couldna well rise,
(illegible text) many a lad and lass came in with a fraise,
(illegible text) welcome the lady, to welcome her home;
⟨Such⟩ a hall in the highlands she never thought on.

(illegible text) laddies did whistle, and the lasses did sing,
⟨They⟩ made her a supper might have served a queen;
⟨With⟩ ale aud whisky they drank her health round,
⟨And⟩ they made to the lassie a braw bed of down.

⟨Early⟩ next morning he led her to the hay,
(illegible text) bid her lo k round her as far as she could spy;
These lands and possessions my debt for to ⟨pay⟩
You winna go round them in a long summer’s ⟨day⟩

O Allan! O Allan! I’m indebted to thee,
It is a debt, dear Allan, I never can pay.
O Allan! O Allan! how came you for me?
Sure I am not worthy your bride for to be.

How call you me Allan, when Sandy’s my ⟨name⟩
Why call you me Allan? sure you are to ⟨blame⟩
For don’t you remember when at school with (illegible text)
I was hated by all the rest, loved by thee?

How oft have I fed on yourbread and your ⟨cheese⟩
Likewise when you had but an handful of p(illegible text)
Your cruel hearted father hound at me his d(illegible text)
They tore all my bare heels, and rave all my (illegible text)

Is this my dear Sandy whom I lov’d so dear
I have not heard of you this many a year;
When all the rest went to bed, sleep was frae (illegible text)
For thinking on what was become of thee.

My parents were born long before me,
Perhaps by this time they are drown’d in the ⟨sea⟩
These lands and possessions they left them too
And I came for you jewel to share them with ⟨me.⟩

In love we began, and in love we will end;
And in joy and mirth cur days we will spend
⟨And⟩ a voyage to your father once more we will go,
⟨And⟩ relieve the old farmer from his trouble & wo.

⟨With⟩ men and maid servants us to wait upon.
(illegible text) away to her father in a chaise they are gone;
⟨The⟩ laddie went foremost, the brave highland lown,
⟨Till⟩ they came to the road that leads to the town.

When he came to the gate he gave a loud roar,
⟨Come⟩ down gentle farmer, Cathrine’s at your door,
Then he look’d out the window, he saw his daughter’s face,
⟨With⟩ his hat in his hand he made a great fraise.

⟨Keep⟩ on your hat, farmer, don’t let it fa,
⟨For⟩ it sets not the peacock to bow to the crow,
(illegible text)s hold your tongue, Sawny, and do not taunt me,
⟨For⟩ my daughter’s not worthy your bride for to be.

⟨Now⟩ he held his bridle-reins till he came down,
(illegible text)nd then he convey’d them to a fine room:
With the finest of spirits they drank a fine toss.
(illegible text)nd the son and the father drank both in one glass.