{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch222.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch222.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch222.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends & Sagas\u00a0\n England\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n \n 222A: Bonny Baby Livingston\n \n \n 222A.1 O BONNY Baby Livingston\n Went forth to view the hay,\n And by it came him Glenlion,\n Sta bonny Baby away.\n 222A.2 O first he\u2019s taen her silken coat,\n And neest her satten gown,\n Syne rowd her in a tartan plaid,\n And hapd her round and rown.\n 222A.3 He has set her upon his steed\n And roundly rode away,\n And neer loot her look back again\n The live-long summer\u2019s day.\n 222A.4 He\u2019s carried her oer hills and muirs\n Till they came to a Highland glen,\n And there he\u2019s met his brother John,\n With twenty armed men.\n 222A.5 O there were cows, and there were ewes,\n And lasses milking there,\n But Baby neer anse lookd about,\n Her heart was filld wi care.\n 222A.6 Glenlion took her in his arms,\n And kissd her, cheek and chin;\n Says, I\u2019d gie a\u2019 these cows and ewes\n But ae kind look to win.\n 222A.7 \u2018O ae kind look ye neer shall get,\n Nor win a smile frae me,\n Unless to me you\u2019ll favour shew,\n And take me to Dundee.\u2019\n 222A.8 \u2018Dundee, Baby? Dundee, Baby?\n Dundee you neer shall see\n Till I\u2019ve carried you to Glenlion\n And have my bride made thee.\n 222A.9 \u2018We\u2019ll stay a while at Auchingour,\n And get sweet milk and cheese,\n And syne we\u2019ll gang to Glenlion,\n And there live at our ease.\u2019\n 222A.10 \u2018I winna stay at Auchingour,\n Nor eat sweet milk and cheese,\n Nor go with thee to Glenlion,\n For there I\u2019ll neer find ease.\u2019\n 222A.11 Than out it spake his brother John,\n \u2018O were I in your place,\n I\u2019d take that lady hame again,\n For a\u2019 her bonny face.\n 222A.12 \u2018Commend me to the lass that\u2019s kind,\n Tho na so gently born;\n And, gin her heart I coudna gain,\n To take her hand I\u2019d scorn.\u2019\n 222A.13 \u2018O had your tongue now, John,\u2019 he says,\n \u2018You wis na what you say;\n \u2018For I\u2019ve lood that bonny face\n This twelve month and a day.\n 222A.14 \u2018And tho I\u2019ve lood her lang and sair\n A smile I neer coud win;\n Yet what I\u2019ve got anse in my power\n To keep I think nae sin.\u2019\n 222A.15 When they came to Glenlion castle,\n They lighted at the yate,\n And out it came his sisters three,\n Wha did them kindly greet.\n 222A.16 O they\u2019ve taen Baby by the hands\n And led her oer the green,\n And ilka lady spake a word,\n But bonny Baby spake nane.\n 222A.17 Then out it spake her bonny Jean,\n The youngest o the three,\n \u2018O lady, dinna look sae sad,\n But tell your grief to me.\u2019\n 222A.18 \u2018O wherefore should I tell my grief,\n Since lax I canna find?\n I\u2019m stown frae a\u2019 my kin and friends,\n And my love I left behind.\n 222A.19 \u2018But had I paper, pen, and ink,\n Before that it were day,\n I yet might get a letter sent\n In time to Johny Hay.\u2019\n 222A.20 O she\u2019s got paper, pen, and ink,\n And candle that she might see,\n And she has written a broad letter\n To Johny at Dundee.\n 222A.21 And she has gotten a bonny boy,\n That was baith swift and strang,\n Wi philabeg and bonnet blue,\n Her errand for to gang.\n 222A.22 \u2018O boy, gin ye\u2019d my blessing win\n And help me in my need,\n Run wi this letter to my love,\n And bid him come wi speed.\n 222A.23 \u2018And here\u2019s a chain of good red gowd,\n And gowdn guineas three,\n And when you\u2019ve well your errand done,\n You\u2019ll get them for your fee.\u2019\n 222A.24 The boy he ran oer hill and dale,\n Fast as a bird coud flee,\n And eer the sun was twa hours height\n The boy was at Dundee.\n 222A.25 And when he came to Johny\u2019s door\n He knocked loud and sair;\n Then Johny to the window came,\n And loudly cry\u2019d, \u2018Wha\u2019s there?\u2019\n 222A.26 \u2018O here\u2019s a letter I have brought,\n Which ye maun quickly read,\n And, gin ye woud your lady save,\n Gang back wi me wi speed.\u2019\n 222A.27 O when he had the letter read,\n An angry man was he;\n He says, Glenlion, thou shalt rue\n This deed of villany!\n 222A.28 \u2018O saddle to me the black, the black,\n O saddle to me the brown,\n O saddle to me the swiftest steed\n That eer rade frae the town.\n 222A.29 \u2018And arm ye well, my merry men a\u2019,\n And follow me to the glen,\n For I vow I\u2019ll neither eat nor sleep\n Till I get my love again.\u2019\n 222A.30 He\u2019s mounted on a milk-white steed,\n The boy upon a gray,\n And they got to Glenlion\u2019s castle\n About the close of day.\n 222A.31 As Baby at her window stood,\n The west wind saft did bla;\n She heard her Johny\u2019s well-kent voice,\n Beneath the castle wa.\n 222A.32 \u2018O Baby, haste, the window jump!\n I\u2019ll kep you in my arm;\n My merry men a\u2019 are at the yate,\n To rescue you frae harm.\u2019\n 222A.33 She to the window fixt her sheets\n And slipped safely down,\n And Johny catchd her in his arms,\n Neer loot her touch the ground.\n 222A.34 When mounted on her Johny\u2019s horse,\n Fou blithely did she say,\n \u2018Glenlion, you hae lost your bride!\n She\u2019s aff wi Johny Hay.\u2019\n 222A.35 Glenlion and his brother John\n Were birling in the ha,\n When they heard Johny\u2019s bridle ring,\n As first he rade awa.\n 222A.36 \u2018Rise, Jock, gang out and meet the priest,\n I hear his bridle ring;\n My Baby now shall be my wife\n Before the laverocks sing.\u2019\n 222A.37 \u2018O brother, this is not the priest;\n I fear he\u2019ll come oer late;\n For armed men with shining brands\n Stand at the castle-yate.\u2019\n 222A.38 \u2018Haste Donald, Duncan, Dugald, Hugh!\n Haste, take your sword and spier!\n We\u2019ll gar these traytors rue the hour\n That eer they ventured here.\u2019\n 222A.39 The Highland men drew their claymores,\n And gae a warlike shout,\n But Johny\u2019s merry men kept the yate,\n Nae ane durst venture out.\n 222A.40 The lovers rade the live-lang night,\n And safe gat on their way,\n And bonny Baby Livingston\n Has gotten Johny Hay.\n 222A.41 \u2018Awa, Glenlion! fy for shame!\n Gae hide ye in some den!\n You\u2019ve lettn your bride be stown frae you,\n For a\u2019 your armed men.\u2019\n \n \n \n 222B: Bonny Baby Livingston\n \n \n 222B.1 BONNY Barbara Livingston\n Went out to take the air,\n When came the laird o Glenlyon\n And staw the maiden fair.\n 222B.2 He staw her in her cloak, her cloak,\n He staw her in her gown;\n Before he let her look again,\n Was mony mile frae town.\n 222B.3 So they rade over hills and dales,\n Through m[o]ny a wilsome way,\n Till they came to the head o yon hill,\n And showed her ewes and kye.\n 222B.4 \u2018O will ye stay with me, Barbara,\n And get good curds and whey?\n Or will ye go to Glenlyon,\n And be a lady gay?\u2019\n 222B.5 \u2018The Highlands is nae for me, kind sir,\n The Highlands is nae for me,\n But, gin ye woud my favour win,\n Have me to bonny Dundee.\u2019\n 222B.6 \u2018Dundee, Barbara? Dundee, Barbara?\n That town ye\u2019se never see;\n I\u2019ll hae you to a finer place\n Than eer was in Dundee.\u2019\n 222B.7 But when she came to Glenlyon,\n And lighted on the green,\n Every lady spake Earse to her,\n But Barbara could speak nane.\n 222B.8 When they were all at dinner set,\n And placed the table round,\n Every one took some of it,\n But Barbara took nane.\n 222B.9 She put it to her cheek, her cheek,\n She put it to her chin,\n She put it to her rosey lips,\n But neer a bit gaed in.\n 222B.10 When day was gone, and night was come,\n And a\u2019 man bound for bed,\n Glenlyon and that fair lady\n To one chamber were laid.\n 222B.11 \u2018O strip, O strip, my love,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018O strip and lay you down;\u2019\n \u2018How can I strip? How can I strip,\n To bed wi an unco man?\u2019\n 222B.12 He\u2019s taen out his little pen-knife,\n And he slit down her gown,\n And cut her stays behind her back,\n And forc\u2019d her to lie down.\n 222B.13 \u2018O day, dear sir! O day, dear sir!\n O dear! if it were day,\n And me upon my father\u2019s steed,\n I soon shoud ride away.\u2019\n 222B.14 \u2018Your father\u2019s steed is in my stable,\n Eating good corn and hay,\n And ye are in my arms twa;\n What needs you lang for day?\u2019\n 222B.15 \u2018If I had paper, pens, and ink,\n And light that I may see,\n I woud write a broad, broad letter\n To my love in Dundee.\u2019\n 222B.16 They brought her paper, pen, and ink,\n And light that she might see,\n And she has written a broad letter\n To her love in Dundee.\n 222B.17 And aye she wrote, and aye she grat,\n The saut tear blinded her ee;\n And aye at every verse\u2019s end,\n \u2018Haste, my bonny love, to me!\u2019\n 222B.18 \u2018If I had but a little wee boy,\n Would work for meat and fee,\n Would go and carry this letter\n To my love in Dundee!\u2019\n 222B.19 \u2018O here am I, a little wee boy\n Will work for meat and fee,\n Will go and carry that letter\n To your love in Dundee.\u2019\n 222B.20 Upstarts the morn, the boy he ran\n Oer mony a hill and dale,\n And he wan on to bonny Dundee\n About the hour o twall.\n 222B.21 There geordy oer a window lay,\n Beholding dale and down;\n And he beheld a little wee boy\n Come running to the town.\n 222B.22 \u2018What news? what news, my little wee boy,\n You run sae hastilie?\u2019\n \u2018Your love is stown by Glenlyon,\n And langs your face to see.\u2019\n 222B.23 \u2018Gae saddle to me the black, the black,\n Gae saddle to me the brown;\n Gae saddle to me the swiftest steed\n Will hae me to the town.\n 222B.24 \u2018Get me my hat, dyed o the black,\n My mourning-mantle tee,\n And I will on to Glenlyon,\n See my love ere she die.\u2019\n 222B.25 First he tired the black, the black,\n And then he tired the brown,\n And next he tired the swiftest steed\n Ere he wan to the town.\n 222B.26 But for as fast as her love rade,\n And as fast as he ran,\n Before he wan to Glenlyon\n His love was dead and gane.\n 222B.27 Then he has kissd her cheek, her cheek,\n And he has kissd her chin,\n And he has kissd her comely mouth,\n But no life was therein.\n 222B.28 \u2018O wae mat worth you, Glenlyon,\n An ill death mat ye die!\n Ye\u2019ve twind me and the fairest flower\n My eyes did ever see.\n 222B.29 \u2018But I will kiss your cheek, Barbara,\n And I will kiss your chin,\n And I will kiss your comely mouth,\n But neer woman\u2019s again.\n 222B.30 \u2018Deal well, deal well at my love\u2019s lyke\n The beer but and the wine,\n For ere the morn at this same time\n Ye\u2019ll deal the same at mine.\u2019\n \n \n \n 222C: Bonny Baby Livingston\n \n \n 222C.1 FOURRR-rrANDRR-rrTWENTY ladies fair\n Was playing at the ba,\n And out cam Barbra Livingston,\n The flower amang them a\u2019.\n 222C.2 Out cam Barbra Livingston,\n The flower amang them a\u2019;\n The lusty laird o Linlyon\n Has stown her clean awa.\n 222C.3 \u2018The Hielands is no for me, kind sir,\n The Hielands is no for me;\n But, if you wud my favour win,\n You\u2019ll tak me to Dundee.\u2019\n 222C.4 \u2018The Hielands\u2019ll be for thee, my dear,\n The Hielands will be for thee;\n To the lusty laird o Linlyon\n A-married ye shall be.\u2019\n 222C.5 When they came to Linlyon\u2019s yetts,\n And lichted on the green,\n Every ane spak Earse to her,\n The tears cam trinkling down.\n 222C.6 When they went to bed at nicht,\n To Linlyon she did say,\n \u2018Och and alace, a weary nicht!\n Oh, but it\u2019s lang till day!\u2019\n 222C.7 \u2018Your father\u2019s steed in my stable,\n He\u2019s eating corn and hay,\n And you\u2019re lying in my twa arms;\n What need you long for day?\u2019\n 222C.8 \u2018If I had paper, pen, and ink,\n And candle for to see,\n I wud write a lang letter\n To my love in Dundee.\u2019\n 222C.9 They brocht her paper, pen, and ink,\n And candle for to see,\n And she did write a lang letter\n To her love in Dundee.\n 222C.10 When he cam to Linlyon\u2019s yetts,\n And lichtit on the green,\n But lang or he wan up the stair\n His love was dead and gane.\n 222C.11 \u2018Woe be to thee, Linlyon,\n An ill death may thou die!\n Thou micht hae taen anither woman,\n And let my lady be.\u2019\n \n \n \n 222D: Bonny Baby Livingston\n \n \n 222D.1 BONNIE Annie Livingstone\n Was walking out the way,\n By came the laird of Glendinning,\n And he\u2019s stolen her away.\n The Highlands are no for me, kind sir,\n The highlands are no for me,\n And, if you wad my favour win,\n You\u2019d take me to Dundee.\n 222D.2 He mounted her on a milk-white steed,\n Himself upon a grey,\n He\u2019s taen her to the Highland hills,\n And stolen her quite away.\n 222D.3 When they came to Glendinning gate,\n They lighted on the green;\n There many a Highland lord spoke free,\n But fair Annie she spoke nane.\n 222D.4 When bells were rung, and mass begun,\n And a\u2019 men bound for bed,\n Bonnie Annie Livingstone\n Was in her chamber laid.\n 222D.5 \u2018O gin it were but day, kind sir!\n O gin it were but day!\n O gin it were but day, kind sir,\n That I might win away!\"]\n 222D.6 \u2018Your steed stands in the stall, bonnie Ann,\n Eating corn and hay,\n And you are in Glendinning\u2019s arms;\n What need ye long for day?\u2019\n 222D.7 \u2018O fetch me paper, pen, and ink,\n A candle that I may see,\n And I will write a long letter\n To Jemmy at Dundee.\u2019\n 222D.8 When Jemmie looked the letter on,\n A loud laughter gave he;\n But eer he read the letter oer\n The tear blinded his ee.\n 222D.9 \u2018Gar saddle,\u2019 he cried, \u2019My war-horse fierce,\n Warn a\u2019 my trusty clan,\n And I\u2019ll away to Glendinning Castle\n And see my sister Ann.\u2019\n 222D.10 When he came to Glendinning yet,\n He lighted on the green,\n But ere that he wan up the stair\n Fair Annie she was gane.\n 222D.11 \u2018The Highlands were not for thee, bonnie Ann,\n The Highlands were not for thee,\n And they that would have thy favour won\n Should have brought you home to me.\n 222D.12 \u2018O I will kiss thy cherry cheeks,\n And I will kiss thy chin,\n And I will kiss thy rosy lips,\n For they will neer kiss mine.\u2019\n \n \n \n 222E: Bonny Baby Livingston\n \n \n 222E.1 BONNY Baby Livingstone\n Went out to view the hay,\n And by there came a Hieland lord,\n And he\u2019s stown Baby away.\n 222E.2 He\u2019s stown her in her coat, her coat,\n And he\u2019s stown her in her gown,\n And he let her not look back again\n Ere she was many a mile from town.\n 222E.3 He set her on a milk-white steed,\n Himself upon another,\n And they are on to bonny Lochell,\n Like sister and like brother.\n 222E.4 The bells were rung, the mass was sung,\n And all men bound to bed,\n And Baby and her Hieland lord\n They were both in one chamber laid.\n 222E.5 \u2018Oh day, kind sir! Oh day, kind sir!\n Oh day fain would I see!\n I would gie a\u2019 the lands o Livingstone\n For day-light, to lat me see.\u2019\n 222E.6 \u2018Oh day, Baby? Oh day, Baby?\n What needs you long for day?\n Your steed is in a good stable,\n And he\u2019s eating baith corn and hay.\n 222E.7 \u2018Oh day, baby? Oh day, Baby?\n What needs you long for day?\n You\u2019r lying in a good knight\u2019s arms,\n What needs you long for day?\u2019\n 222E.8 \u2018Ye\u2019ll get me paper, pen, and ink,\n And light to let me see,\n Till I write on a broad letter\n And send \u2019t to Lord . . \u2019.\u2019\n * * * * *\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 223. Epie Morrie","title":"The Child Ballads: 222. Bonny Baby Livingston","type":"page"}