THE YOUNG MAN'S DREAM. 141 The foregoing Pastoral is noted down from recitation; one or two of the intermediate stanzas appear to be common with the North-country Ballad of the "Laird of Drum." The air is sweetly plaintive, and peculiar to itself. THE YOUNG MAN'S DREAM. WHEN wint'ry storms keep yelling round, As my dog and I went down yon glen, O maiden mine, I have dream'd a dream; Above my lorn head, and fired the tree, Some kinder rain-drops than the rest, On thy lily brow and scarce heaving breast, I kiss'd the cold drops off, one by one, Burst through, and chased the dense clouds away, She smiled, and said, "When you dream again, I love no pears, I love no plums, Nor dreams that fade when the morning comes; A few lines of "The Young Man's Dream," are adopted from an old free traditional Ballad, that has nearly faded from our recollection; while the rest is original. The air is common with a good many of our West-country chaunts of the same measure. THE SWAIN'S RESOLVE. I once lov'd a maid, though she slighted me, I went to my love's chamber-door one night, away, Without doubt my love arose, and slipp'd on her clothes, Ere she came down to let me in. THE SWAIN'S RESOLVE. 143 As soon as I saw my true-love's face, My heart grew light and fain, And I clasp'd her round the middle so small, She cries to the cock, saying, thou must not crow, And thy wings shall be made of the silvery gray, As homeward I hied o'er yon lofty hill, The wind it blew high and cold, Then I wish'd I were safe by my true-love's side again, Her fair form once more to enfold. Oh I'll be as constant to my true love, As the dial is to the sun; And if she will not be the very same to me, She is far better lost than won. Noted down partly from recollection, but chiefly from the recitation of the gentleman who has favoured us with the Ballads of Lord Delaware, and the Ewe Lamb. The air is peculiarly lively and beautiful, and well merits preservation; which, along with the Ballad itself, seems peculiar to Ayrshire; and, so far as we are aware, neither the one nor the other have ever yet been committed to paper. The fourth stanza here, appears in common with one in the "Gray Cock," "Saw ye my Father," &c.; in other points the twain are different, whilst their respective melodies are altogether dissimilar. THE MILK MAIDS' REQUEST. THREE maidens a-milking did go, And the wind it blew low, They met a young swain whom they knew, They met a young swain that they knew, They asked of him If he had any skill, How to catch them a small bird or two. O yes, I have very good skill, To the merry green-wood as they went, Upon ilka green tree, While the gay rose above the lily bent. Ripe berries are soft to the touch, They will all flock together, Let the people say little or much. From recollection;-air plaintive and pastoral. BILLY BOY. 145 BILLY BOY. MAN the boat, all hands aboard, Billy boy, Billy boy, Each moving, thrilling word, As I steer from my adored Lovely Nancy, says thy fancy, lingers round thy darling boy. Is the maid so dear to thee, Billy boy, Billy boy? The maid is dear to me, As the bark is to the tree, Since my Nancy won my fancy, I'm her darling Billy boy. Worth and merit bids thee prove, Billy boy, Billy boy, If she's meet to be thy love, Billy boy; She's as meet to be my love, As the hand is for the glove, Since my Nancy won my fancy, I'm her darling Billy boy. Can the maid thou would'st adore, Billy boy, Billy boy, Row or steer the boat ashore, Billy boy? She can row the boat ashore, With the paddle or the oar, Thus my Nancy won my fancy, I'm her darling Billy boy. Then a health to thine and thee, Billy boy, Billy boy, And when heaven wills again, Our return from o'er the main, May thy Nancy find thy fancy still the same, my Billy boy. |