Fair Annie she's gaen to the bower,
Wi' heart fu' sair and sad;
Wi' a' her seven sons her before,135
In the red scarlet clad.
Fair Annie's taen a silver can,
Afore the bride to skink;
And down her cheeks the tears ay run,
Upon hersell to think.140
The bride gan stand her lord before:
"Now speak, and dinna spare;
Whare is this fair young lady frae?
Whareto greets she sae sair?"
"O hear ye now, dear lady mine,145
The truth I tell to thee;
It is but a bonny niece of mine,
That is come o'er the sea."
"O wae is me, my lord," she says,
"To hear you say sic wrang;150
It can be nane but your auld lemman;
God rede whare she will gang!"
"Then till her sorrow, and till her wae,
I'll tell the truth to thee;
For she was sald frae fremmit lands,155
For mickle goud to me.
"Her bairntime a' stand her before,
Her seven young sons sae fair;
And they maun now your pages be,
That maks her heart sae sair."160
"A little sister ance I had,
A sister that hight Ann;
By reivers she was stown awa',
And sald in fremmit land.
"She was a bairn when she was stown,165
Yet in her tender years;
And sair her parents mourn'd for her,
Wi' mony sighs and tears.