4 'At even at my love's bowr-door
There grows a bowing birk,
An sit ye down and sing thereon,
As she gangs to the kirk.
5 'An four-and-twenty ladies fair
Will wash and go to kirk,
But well shall ye my true-love ken,
For she wears goud on her skirt.
6 'An four and twenty gay ladies
Will to the mass repair,
But well sal ye my true-love ken,
For she wears goud on her hair.'
7 O even at that lady's bowr-door
There grows a bowin birk,
An she set down and sang thereon,
As she ged to the kirk.
8 'O eet and drink, my marys a',
The wine flows you among,
Till I gang to my shot-window,
An hear yon bonny bird's song.
9 'Sing on, sing on, my bonny bird,
The song ye sang the streen,
For I ken by your sweet singin
You 're frae my true-love sen.'
10 O first he sang a merry song,
An then he sang a grave,
An then he peckd his feathers gray,
To her the letter gave.
11 'Ha, there's a letter frae your love,
He says he sent you three;
He canna wait your love langer,
But for your sake he'll die.
12 'He bids you write a letter to him;
He says he's sent you five;
He canna wait your love langer,
Tho you 're the fairest woman alive.'
13 'Ye bid him bake his bridal-bread,
And brew his bridal-ale,
An I 'll meet him in fair Scotlan
Lang, lang or it be stale.'