by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

The maid that tends the goats
 (Sung text for setting by J. Haydn)
 See original
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
Hark! the mavis' evening sang
Sounding Clouden's woods amang,
Then a-faulding let us gang,
My bonnie dearie.
  Ca' the ewes to the knowes,
      Ca' them where the heather grows,
  Ca' them where the burn rows,
      My bonnie dearie.

 ... 

Ghaist nor bogle shalt thou fear;
Thou'rt to Love and Heaven sae dear,
Nocht of ill may come thee near, 
My bonnie dearie.
    Ca' the ewes etc.

Fair and lovely as thou art,
Thou hast stown my very heart;
I can die -- but canna part,
My bonnie dearie.
    Ca' the ewes etc.

 ...

GLOSSARY
mavis' = thrush
faulding = to shut sheep in the fold
knowes = Small round hillocks
bogle = hobgoblin
stown = stolen

Composition:

    Set to music by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "The maid that tends the goats", Hob. XXXIa:221bis, JHW XXXII/3 no. 211, stanzas 1,4-5

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "Hark! the mavis", title 2: "Ca' the yowes to the knowes"

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 33
Word count: 175