Inglis Collection of printed music > Printed music > Songs of Scotland adapted to their appropriate melodies > Volume 1

AULD ROBIN OKAY.
21
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poco rail.
Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and he sought me for his bride ;
But saving a crown, he had naething beside ;
To make that crown a pound, my Jamie gaed to sea —
And the crown and the pound were baith for me.
He hadna been gane a week but only twa,
When my father brake his arm, and the cow was stown awa ;
My mither she fell sick, and my Jamie at the sea,
And auld Robin Gray came a courting me.
My father couldna work, and my mither couldna spin ;
I toil'd day and night, but their bread I couldna win.
Auld Rob maintain'd them baith, and wi' tears in his e'e,
Said, " Jeanie, for their sakes, marry me."
My heart it said nay — I look'd for Jamie back ;
But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a wrack.
The ship it was a wrack, why didna Jeanie dee ?
And why do I live to say, wae's me ?
My father urged me sair, my mither didna speak,
But she look'd in my face till my heart was like to break.
So they gi'ed him my hand, though my heart was at the sea,
And auld Robin Gray is gudeman to me.
I hadna been a wife a week but only four,
When sitting sae mournfully [ae night] at the door,
I saw my Jamie's wraith, for I couldna think it he,
Till he said, I'm come back for to marry thee !
sair did we greet, and meikle did we say,
We took but ae kiss, and we tore ourselves away ;
1 wish I were dead, but I'm no like to dee ;
Oh ! why do I live to say, wae's me ?
I gang like a ghaist and I carena to spin,
I darena think o' Jamie, for that wad be a sin ;
But I'll do my best a gude wife to be,
For auld Robin Gray is [a] kind [man] to me.
" Auld Robin Geay." (Old air, " The bridegroom grat.") The air appears to be old, and is the same to
which the accompanying verses were written by Lady Anne Lindsay. See following Note.