15 Supper scarslie was owre,
Nor musick weel fa'n to,
Till ben and cam the bride's brethren,
Saying, Bride, ye'll dance wi me:
'Awa, awa, my brethren dear,
For dancing's no for me.'
16 Ben and came her ain bridegroom,
Saying, Bride, ye'll dance wi me;
She says, Awa, awa, ye southland dog,
Your face I downa see.
17 Ben and cam then Sweet Willie,
Saying, Bride, ye'll dance wi me:
'Oh I will dance the floor once owre,
Tho my heart should break in three.'
18 'Oh no, oh no,' said Sweet William,
'Let no such things eer be;
But I will cut my glove in two,
And I'll dance for thee and me.'
19 She hadna danced the floor once owre,
I'm sure she hadna thrice,
Till she fell in a deadly swound,
And from it neer did rise.
20 Out and spak her ain bridegroom,
And an angry man was he:
'This day she has gien me the geeks,
Yet she must bear the scorn;
There's not a bell in merry Linkum
Shall ring for her the morn.'
21 Out and spoke then Sweet William,
And a sorry man was he:
'Altho she has gien you the gecks,
She will not bear the scorn;
There's not a bell in merry Linkum
But shall ring for her the morn.'
22 There was not a bell in merry Linkum
But they tinkled and they rang,
And a' the birds that flew above,
They changed their notes and sang.
C
Herd's Scots Songs, 1769, p. 303: I, 162, ed. 1776.