4
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 is ill ale, she said, that is sour when it's new.
In a short time thereafter they came to a grove,
Where his flocks they were feeding in numberless droves,
Allan stood musing his flocks for to see;
⟨Step on,⟩ says the lady, that's no pleasure to me.
A beautiful laddie with green tartan treuse,
And twa bonny lasses were bughting in ewes;
They said, Honour'd Master are you come again?
For long have we look'd for your coming hame.
Bught in your ewes lasses and go your way home,
I've brought a swan from the north I have her to tame,
Her feathers are ⟨fallen⟩, and where can she fly?
The best bed in all my house there she shall lye.
The lady's heart was fallen and it cou'dna well rise,
Till mony a lad and lass came in with a fraise,
To welcome the lady, to welcome her home;
Such a bed in the highlands she never thought on.
The laddies did whistle and the lasses did sing,
They made her a supper that might have serv'd a queen
With ale and good whisky they drank her health round
And they made to the lassie a braw bed of down.
Early next morning he led her up high,
And bid her look round her as far as she could spy,
These lands and possessions are my debts for to pay,
And you cannot walk 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?
