When the sheep are in the fauld, and
the kye a' at hame,
When a' the weary warld to sleep are
gane,
The waes o' my heart fa' in showers
frae my e'e,
While my gudeman lies sound by me.
Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and
sought me for his bride;
But saving a croun he had naething
else beside.
To mak the croun a pound, my Jamie
gaed to sea,
And the croun and the pound, they
were baith for me.
He hadna been awa' a week but only
twa,
When my mither she fell sick and the
cow was stown awa';
My father brak his arm - my Jamie at
the sea;
And auld Robin Gray cam a-courtin'
me.
My father couldna wark, my mither
couldna spin;
I toll'd day and nicht, but their
bread I couldna win:
Auld Rob maintain'd them baith, and
wi' tears in his e'e,
Said, "Jeannie, for their sakes,
will ye marry me!"
My heart it said na - I look'd for
Jamie back;
But the wind it blew hie, and the
ship it was a wrack;
His ship it was a wrack - why didna
Jamie dee?
And why do I live to cry, Wae's me?
My father urged me sair; my mither
didna speak,
But she looked in my face till my
heart was like to break.
They gied him my hand - my heart was
at the sea;
Sae auld Robin Gray, he was gudeman
to me.
I hadna been a wife a week but only
four,
When, mournfu' as I sat on the stane
at the door,
I saw my Jamie's wraith - I couldna
think it he,
Till he said, "I'm come hame, my
love, to marry thee."
O sair did we greet, and meikle did
we say:
We took but ae kiss, and I bade him
gang away.
I wish that I were dead, but I'm no
life to dee;
And why was I born to say, Wae's me?
I gang like a ghaist, and I carena
to spin;
I daurna think o' Jamie, for that
wad be a sin.
But I'll do my best a gude wife to
be,
For auld Robin Gray, he is kind to
me.
