Broadside ballads entitled 'Banks of Doon' and 'The Fairest Flower'

Transcription

BANKS OF DOON.

Words by Burns.

Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair!
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary, fu' o' care!
Thou'lt break my heart, thou warbling bird
That wantons through the flow'ring thorn:
Thou minds me o' departed joys-
Departed never to return!

Oft hae I roved by bonnie Doon
To see the rose and woodbine twine;
And ilka bird sang o' its love,
And fondly sae did I o' mine.
Wi lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree;
But my fause lover stole my rose-
And ah! he's left the thorn wi' me.

THE FAIREST FLOWER.

Words by P. M'NEILL.

Air-"The Bonnie Woods of Cragielea."

The rose, diffusing sweet perfume,
Blooms bonny on its thorny tree;
The linnet sits amang the broom,
And charms us with its melody.
But ne'er was flower in field or bower,
Nor warbler on the greenwood tree,
That bloomed so bonnie in their hour,
Or sang more sweetly, love, than thee.

In childhood's sweet and early day,
Oft down the winding glen we gaed;
We rowed each other down the brae,
And in the crystal burnie played.
Yet ne'er was flower in field or bower,
Nor warbler on the greenwood tree,
That bloomed so bonnie in their hour,
Or sang more sweetly, love, than thee.

At school we were sae canty aye,
And when at childish play were we
I was guidman day after day,
And ye was aye guidwife to me.
Yet ne'er was flower in field or bower,
Nor warbler on the greenwood tree,
That bloomed so bonnie in their hour,
Or sang more sweetly, love, than thee.

I have a cot, now, o' my ain-
A fairer, sweeter, ne'er was seen-
And in that cot shall be thy hame,
Gin ye will be my charming queen.
For ne'er was flower in field or bower,
Nor warbler on the greenwood tree,
That bloomed so bonnie in their hour,
Or sang more sweetly, love, than thee.

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