J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 1

282 MINSTRELSY OF
" There lives a smith on the water side,
" Will shoe my little black mare for me ;
" And IVe a crown in my pocket,
" And every groat of it I wad gie."^
" The night is mirk, and ifs very mirk,
" And by candle-light I canna weel see ;
" The night is mirk, and it's very pit mirk,
" And there will never a nail ca' right for
me.
" Shame fa'' you and your trade baith,
" Canna beet* a gude fellow by your mystery !-|-
" But leeze me on thee, my little black mare,
" Thou"'s worth thy weight in gold to me.""
There was horsing, horsing in haste.
And there was marching upon the lee
Until they cam_to Dumfries port.
And they lighted there right spcedilie.
There's five of us will hold the horse,
" And other five will watchmen be :
But wha's the man, amang ye a',
" Will gae to the Tolbooth door wi' me ?"
• Bat— Abet, aid. f Mi/slcr>/— Trade — See Shakespeare.