It fell on a day, on a het simmer day,
She was ca'ing out her father's kye,
Bye came a troop o' gentlemen,
A' merrilie riding bye.80
"Weel may ye save an' see, bonny may,
Weel may ye save and see!
Weel I wat, ye be a very bonny may,
But whae's aught that babe ye are wi'?"
Never a word could that lassie say,85
For never a ane could she blame,
An' never a word could the lassie say,
But "I have a gudeman at hame."—
"Ye lied, ye lied, my very bonny may,
Sae loud as I hear you lie;90
For dinna ye mind that misty night
I was i' the bought wi' thee?
"I ken you by your middle sae jimp,
An' your merry-twinkling ee,
That ye're the bonny lass i' the Cowdenknow,95
An' ye may weel seem for to be."—
Then he's leapt off his berry-brown steed,
An' he's set that fair may on—
"Ca' out your kye, gude father, yoursell,
For she's never ca' them out again.100
"I am the Laird of the Oakland hills,
I hae thirty plows and three;
An' I hae gotten the bonniest lass
That's in a' the south countrie."