C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
Lady Anne (Lindsay) Barnard (17501825)
Auld Robin Gray
W
And a’ the weary warld to rest are gane,
The waes o’ my heart fa’ in showers frae my e’e,
Unkent by my gudeman, wha sleeps sound by me.
But saving ae crown-piece he had naething else beside;
To mak’ the crown a pound my Jamie gaed to sea,
And the crown and the pound—they were baith for me.
When my father brake his arm, and the cow was stown away;
My mither she fell sick—my Jamie was at sea—
And Auld Robin Gray came a-courting me.
I toiled day and night, but their bread I couldna win:
Auld Rob maintained them baith, and wi’ tears in his e’e,
Said, “Jeanie, for their sakes, will ye no marry me?”
But hard blew the winds, and his ship was a wrack;
His ship was a wrack—Why didna Jamie dee?
Or why am I spared to cry, Wae is me!
But she looket in my face till my heart was like to break;
They gied him my hand—my heart was in the sea—
And so Robin Gray, he was gudeman to me.
When, mournfu’ as I sat on the stane at my door,
I saw my Jamie’s ghaist—for I couldna think it he
Till he said, “I’m come hame, love, to marry thee.”
I gi’ed him ae kiss and bade him gang awa’.
I wish that I were dead, but I’m na like to dee,
For though my heart is broken, I’m but young, wae’s me!
I darena think on Jamie, for that would be a sin:
But I’ll do my best a gude wife to be,
For oh! Robin Gray he is kind to me.