MALLY AIKEN,

AN OLD SONG REVIVED.

Air.-Gaelic.

'O LISTEN! listen and I'll tell ye*
How this fair maid's play'd her part:
First she vow'd and promis'd to me,
Now she strives to break my heart!'
Erin O! Mally Aiken,

Erin O s'dhu ma roon.

I coft you silken garters, Mally,
And sleeve-knots for your tartan gown;
I coft you a green necklace, Mally,
To busk you whan you gade to town:
You gae me kisses sweet as hinny!
You gae me words mair sweet than true;
You swore you loo'd me best o' ony;
-Ah! why than Mally break your vow!
Erin O! Mally Aiken,

Erin O s'dhu ma roon.

Yon auld man came wi' wyles sae bonie,
He bragg'd o' land and walth o' gear;
He promis'd braws mair fine than Johnie
To busk ye for the kirk and fair;

* This verse is all the author ever heard of the original.-The meaning of the Gaelic chorus is, O Mally Aiken, thou art my love.

He gae up tocher to your daddy ;—
Your mither sigh'd and thought o' me;
But Mally wish'd to be a lady,

And chang'd true luve for-high degree!
Erin O! Mally Aiken,

Erin O s'dhu ma roon.

He's ta'en you hame; he's made you gawdie,
He's busk'd you to the kirk and fair;

But you had better ta'en your laddie,
For happiness you'll ne'er see mair!

You may gang to kirk and fair, my Mally;
Your face and braws catch

ilka te,

But happiness you'll ne'er see, Mally,

For breaking o' your vows to me!

Erin O Mally Aiken,

Erin O s'dhu ma roon.

TO GET A MAN.

Tats warld is a lottery, as ilk ane may ken;
There are prizes for women as weel as for men:
But as far as my faither and mither can see,
Though the're prizes for some, the're aye blanks
for me!

Though black, I'm comely; my een's like a slae ! Odd! I'm sure they're far better that een that are grey?

Yet the lads they court Katey as fast as they can, While my father aye tells me-I'll ne'er get a man.

I'm held down wi' wark frae morning till e’en,
My claise ay unsnod, and my face seldom clean!
How the sorrow! on me can our lads ever look
When I gang aye sae thief-like, as black as the
crook!

For fairs and for preachings I hae but ae gown! (Lord! I wish I was busk'd like our queans in the

town!)

Yet whane'er I stay late-how my father he'll ban, Wi' a- Divil confound ye! ye'll ne'er get a man!'

My mither aye thinks I'm to sit still and spin: Whan the sogers gae by, war I fell'd I maun rin, Then she roars, and she flytes (though the sam's done by Kate)

Wi' a- Sorrows be on ye! ye'll gang a grey gate!'

I fain wad hae Jamie- -but then he loes Jean; And I'd e'en tak lean Patie, tho' just skin and bane; But my faither and mither tauld baith him and Dan That I'm three years owre young yet to hae a gudeman!

A usage sae barb'rous! nae mortal can bear! -Odd! they'll drive me to madness wi' perfect despair!

If I canna get Jamie, nor yet Dan nor Pate, Faith I'll e'en tak the first chiel that comes in my gate.

Gle'yd Sawnie, that haiv'rel, he met me yestreen, He roos'd first my black hair, and syne my black

een!

While he dawted and kiss'd, tho' I ken he's a fool, Lord! I thought that my heart wad hae loupt out o' hool!

Quo he, 'Bonny Maggy, gin ye war mine ain,
I hae house and plenty, for wife and for wean,
And whan my auld daddy steps aff to the grave,
Faith! we'll then haud our head up as high as the
lave.'

1 dinda like Sawnie-he's blind o' an ee;

But then he's the first's talk'd o' marriage to me; And whan folk are ill us'd they maun do what they

can,

Sae I'll make them a' liars, and tak a gudeman.

LASSIE WI' THE GOWDEN HAIR.

Air.-Gaelic.

'LASSIE Wi' the gowden hair,

Silken snood, and face sae fair:

Lassie wi' the yellow hair,

Think nae to deceive me!

Lassie wi' the gowden hair,
Flattering smile, and face sae fair;
Fare ye weel! for never mair

Johnie will believe ye!

O no! Mary bawn, Mary bawn, Mary bawn,*
O no! Mary bawn, ye'll na mair deceive me!

* Bawn, (Gaelic) fair, white, generally applied to the hair.

Smiling, twice ye made me troo;
Twice-(poor fool!) I turn'd to woo ;
Twice, fause maid! ye brak your vow,
Now I've sworn to leave ye!

Twice, fause maid! ye brak your vow,
Twice, poor fool! I've learn'd to rue-
Come ye yet to mak me troo?

Thrice ye'll ne'er deceive me!

No! no! Mary bawn, Mary bawn, Mary bawn!
O no! Mary bawn! thrice ye'll ne'er deceive me.

Mary saw him turn to part;

Deep his words sank in her heart;
Soon the tears began to start-
'Johnie, will ye leave me !

Soon the tears began to start,
Grit and gritter grew his heart !-
'Yet ae word before we part,

Luve cou'd ne'er deceive ye!

*

O no! Johnie dow, Johnie dow, Johnie dow,
O no! Johnie dow-luve cau'd ne'er deceive ye.'

Johnie took a parting keek,

Saw the tears hap owre her cheek!
Pale she stood, but coudna speak!
Mary's cur'd o' smiling.

Johnie took anither keek

Beauty's rose has left her cheek!

Pale she stands, and canna speak.

This is nae beguiling.

O no! Mary bawn, Mary bawn, dear Mary bawn, No, no! Mary bawn-Luve has nae beguiling.

* Dow, (Gaelic) black, generally applied to the hair. VOL. XXXIX.

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