The Book of Scottish Song/The Hills of the Heather
The Hills of the Heather.
[Evan M'Coll.— Tune, "On wi' the Tartan," or, "Air failirin ilirin, uilirin O." This and the other songs by Evan M'Coll are from a little volume published by him in 1838, entitled "The Mountain Minstrel."]
Give the swains of Italia
'Mong myrtles to rove,
Give the proud, sullen Spaniard
His bright orange grove;
Give gold-sanded streams
To the sons of Chili,
But, oh! give the hills
Of the heather to me.
The hills where the hunter
Oft soundeth his horn,—
Where sweetest the skylark
Awakens the morn:—
The grey cliff, the blue lake,
The stream's dashing glee,
Endear the red hills
Of the heather to me.
There health, rosy virgin,
For ever doth dwell;
There love fondest whispers
To beauty his tale;
There—freedom's own darling!
The Gael, lives free,—
Then, oh! give the hills
Of the heather to me.