Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (1766–1845)

BONNIE ran the burnie doon,

Wand’rin’ and windin’;

Sweetly sang the birds abune,

Care never mindin’.

The gentle simmer wind

Was their nursie saft and kind,

And it rockit them, and rockit them,

All in their bowers sae hie.
Bonnie ran, etc.

The mossy rock was there,

And the water-lily fair,

And the little trout would sport about

All in the sunny beam.
Bonnie ran, etc.

Though simmer days be lang,

And sweet the birdies’ sang,

The wintry night and chilling blight

Keep aye their eerie roun’.
Bonnie ran, etc.

And then the burnie’s like a sea,

Roarin’ and reamin’;

Nae wee bit sangster’s on the tree,

But wild birds screamin’.
Bonnie ran, etc.

O that the past I might forget,

Wand’rin’ and weepin’!

O that aneath the hillock green

Sound I were sleepin’!

Bonnie ran the burnie doon,

Wand’rin’ and windin’;

Sweetly sang the birds abune,

Care never mindin’.