The Book of Scottish Song/O Jeanie
O Jeanie.
[Composed by the Ettrick Shepherd, to the tune of "Blue Bonnets over the Border." He himself says, it was "the most popular love song he ever wrote," but we think he is here mistaken.]
O! my lassie, our joy to complete again,
Meet me again in the gloamin', my dearie;
Low down i' the dell let us meet again,
O! Jeanie, there's naething to fear ye.
Come when the wee bat flits silent an eerie;
Come when the pale face o' nature looks weary.
Love be thy sure defence,
Beauty and innocence—
O! Jeanie, there's naething to fear ye.
Sweetly blows the haw and the rowan-tree,
Wild roses speck our thicket sae breerie;
Still, still will our bed in the greenwood be—
O! Jeanie, there's naething to fear ye;
Note when tha blackbird o' singing grows weary,
List when the beetle bee's bugle comes near ye:
Then come with fairy haste,
Light foot and beating breast—
O! Jeanie, there's naething to fear ye.
Far, far will the bogle an' brownie be;
Beauty an' truth, they daurna come near it
Kind love is the tie of our unity;
A' maun love it, and a' maun revere it.
Love mak's the sang o' the woodland sae cheerie;
Love gars a' nature look bonnie that's near ye;
Love mak's the rose sae sweet,
Cowslip an' violet—
O! Jeanie, there's naething to fear ye.