LADY-BIRD—IN SCOTLAND LADY LANNERS
LANARK
Lady, Lady Lanners!
Lady, Lady Lanners!
Tak up your clowk about your head,
An’ flee awa’ to Flanners.
Flee owre firth, an’ flee owre fell,
Flee owre pule, an’ rinnan well,
Flee owre muir, an’ flee owre mead,
Flee owre livan, flee owre dead,
Flee owre corn, an’ flee owre lea,
Flee owre river, flee owre sea,
Flee ye east, or flee ye west,
Flee till him that lo’es me best.
Lady-bird! lady-bird! pretty one stay!
Come sit on my finger, so happy and gay,
With me shall no mischief betide thee;
No harm would I do thee, no foeman is near,
I only would gaze on thy beauties so dear,
Those beautiful winglets beside thee.
Lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home!
Thy house is a-fire, thy children will roam,
List! list to their cry and bewailing!
The pitiless spider is weaving their doom,
Then lady-bird! lady-bird! fly away home!
Hark! hark to thy children’s bewailing!
Fly back again, back again, lady-bird dear!
Thy neighbours will merrily welcome thee here,
With them shall no perils attend thee.
They’ll guard thee so safely from danger or care,
They’ll gaze on thy beautiful winglets so fair,
And comfort, and love, and befriend thee!