Six popular Scotch songs/Auld Robin Gray

by Anne Barnard

For other versions of this work, see Auld Robin Gray.

AULD ROBIN GRAY.

When the sheep are in the fauld, and the kye a’ at hame,
And a' the warld to sleep are gane;
The waes of my heart fa' in showers frae my ee,
When my gudeman lies sound by me.

Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and he sought me for his bride,
But saving a crown he had naething beside;
To make that crown a pound, my Jaimie gaed to sea,
And the crown and the pound were baith for me.

He had nae been gone a week but only twa,
When my mither she fell sick, and the cow was stown awa';
My father brake his arm, and my Jamie at the sea,
And auld Robin Gray came a courting to me.

My father couldna' work, and my mither couldna' spin,
I toil'd day and night, but their bread I couldna' win;
Auld Rob maintain’d them baith, and wi' tears in his ee.
Said, Jenny, for their sakes, will ye marry me?

My heart it said nay, I look’d for Jamie back;
But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a wreck,
The ship it was a wreck, why didna Jenny die?
Any why do I live to say Wae is me?

My father urged me sair, though my mither didna speak,
She look'd in my face till my heart was like to break;
So I gied him my hand, though heart was in the sea,
And auld Robin Gray is gudeman to me.

I hadna been a wife a week but only four,
When sitting sae mournfully at my ain door,
I saw my Jamie's wraith, for I coudna think it he,
Till he said, I'm come back, love, to marry thee.

O sair did we greet, and muckle did we say;
We took but ae kiss, and we tore ourselves away,
I wish I were dead, but I’m no like to die;
And why do I live to sae Wae is me?

I gang like a ghaist, and carena to spin,
I darena think on Jamie, for that wou'd be a sin;
But I'll do my best a gudewife to be,
For auld Robin Gray is kind unto me.