Lillygay

One morning very early, one morning in the spring,
I heard a maid in Bedlam who mournfully did sing.
Her chains she rattled on her hands while sweetly thus sang she,
I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea,
And cruel, cruel was the ship that bore my love from me.
Yet I love his parents since they're his, although they've ruined me,
And I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh should it please the pitying powers to call me to the sky,
I'll claim a guardian angel's charge around my love to fly.
To guard him from all dangers how happy I should be,
For I love my love because I know my love loves me.

I'll make a strawy garland, I'll make it wondrous fine,
With roses, lilies, daisies I'll mix the eglantine,
And I'll present it to my love when he returns from sea,
For I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh if I were a little bird to build upon his breast,
Or if I were a nightingale to sing my love to rest,
To gaze upon his lovely eyes all my reward should be,
For I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Oh if I were an eagle to soar in to the sky,
I'd gaze around with piercing eyes where I my love might spy.
But ah, unhappy maiden, that love you ne'er shall see,
Yet I love my love because I know my love loves me.

Johnnie cam' to our toun,
To our toun, to our toun,
Johnnie cam' to our toun,
The body wi' the tye;
And O as he kittl'd me,
Kittl'd me, kittl'd me!
O, as he kittl'd me -
But I forgot to cry.

He gaed thro' the fields wi' me,
The fields wi' me, the fields wi' me,
He gaed thro' the fields wi' me
And doun among the rye;
Then O as he kittl'd me,
Kittl'd me, kittl'd me!
O, as he kittl'd me -
But I forgot to cry.

Shoemaker, shoemaker, are ye within?
A fal a fall addie fallee!
Hae ye got shoes to fit me so trim
For a kiss in the morning early?
O fair may, come in and see,
A fal a fall addie fallee!
I've got but ae pair and I'll gie them to thee
For a kiss in the morning early.
He's ta'en her in behind the bench,
A fal a fall addie fallee!
And there he has fitted his own pretty wench.
With a kiss in the morning early.

Burd Ellen sits in her bower windowe,
With a double laddie double, and for the double dow,
Twisting the red silk and the blue,
With the double rose and the May hay.

And whiles she twisted and whiles she twan,
With a double laddie double and for the double dow,
And whiles the tears fell down amang,
With the double rose and the May hay.

Till once there cam' by young Tamlane,
With a double laddie double and for the double dow,
"Come light, oh light and rock your young son!"
With the double rose and the May hay.

"If ye winna rock him, ye may let him rair,
With a double laddie double and for the double dow,
For I ha'e rockit my share and mair!"
With the double rose and the May hay.

Young Tamlane to the seas he's gone,
With a double laddie double and for the double dow,
And a' women's curse in his company's gane!
With the double rose and the May hay.

Who'll play at Rantum Tantum
Over the fields in May?
Oh, maidens fair, 'od grant 'em
Rantum Tantum play!

The dawning fields are rimy,
White in the sunrise way,
But oh! the fields smell thymy
Later in the day.

And oh! may the fields be pearly
With dawn and virgin dew,
And may my love come early
And may my love be true...

Oh, the fields are green in daytime
And the trees are white in May,
And Rantum Tantum
Maytime's the time for lovers' play.