Inglis Collection of printed music > Printed music > Songs of Scotland prior to Burns

384 SONGS OF SCOTLAND.
Sing my bonnie harmless sheep,
That feed upon the mountains steep,
Bleating sweetly, as ye go
Through the winter's frost and snow.
Hart, and hynd, and fallow-deer,
No by half sae useful are :
Frae kings, to him that bauds the plou',
All are obliged to tarry woo.
Up, ye shepherds, dance and skip ;
Ower the hills and valleys trip ;
Sing up the praise of tarry woo ;
Sing the flocks that bear it too :
Harmless creatures, without blame,
That dead the back, and cram the wame ;
Keep us warm and hearty fou —
Leeze me on the tarry woo !
How happy is the shepherd's life,
Far frae courts and free of strife !
While the gimmers bleat and bae,
And the lambkins answer mae ;
No such music to his ear !
Of thief or fox he has no fear :
Sturdy kent, and collie true,
Weil defend the tarry woo.
He lives content, and envies none :
Not even a monarch on his throne,
Though he the royal sceptre sways,
Has such pleasant holidays.
Who 'd be king, can ony tell,
When a shepherd sings sae well ?
Sings sae well, and pays his due
With honest heart and tarry woo.
Sir Walter Scott used annually to join in the festivities of
the woollen manufacturers of Galashiels, on the day of the