E
Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 70, as sang by an old woman living near Keith, Banffshire.
1
The Hielan lads sae brisk and braw,
The Hielan lads sae brisk and gaudie,
Hae gane awa to Glasgow town,
To steal awa the bonny Peggy.
2
As they cam on to Glasgow town,
And passd the banks and braes sae bonny,
There they espied the weel-faurd may,
And she said to them her name was Peggy.
3
Their chief did meet her father soon,
And O! but he was wondrous angry;
Says, Ye may steal my owsen and kye,
But ye maunna steal my bonnie Peggy.
4
‘O haud your tongue, ye gude auld man,
For I’ve got cows and ewes already;
I come na to steal your owsen and kye,
But I will steal your bonny Peggy.’
5
He set her on a milk-white steed,
And he himsel rode a gude grey naigie,
And they are on mony miles to the north,
And nane wi them but the bonny Peggy.
6
‘I hae fifty acres o gude red lan,
And a’ weel ploughd and sawn already,
And why should your father be angry wi me,
And ca me naething but a Hielan laddie?
7
‘I hae twenty weel mounted steeds,
Black and brown and grey, already;
And ilk ane o them is tended by a groom,
Altho I be but a Hielan laddie.
8
‘I hae now ten thousand sheep,
A’ feeding on yon braes sae bonny,
And ilka hundred a shepherd has,
Altho I be but a Hielan laddie.
9
‘I hae a castle on yonder hill,
It’s a’ set roun wi windows many;
I’m Lord M’Donald o the whole Isle of Skye;
And why shouldna Peggy be ca’d my Lady?’
10
Now a’ that Peggy had before
Was a wee cot-house and a little kail-yairdie,
But now she is lady o the whole Isle of Skye,
And now bonny Peggy is ca’d my Lady.