by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Young Jockey was the blythest lad
 (Sung text for setting by J. Haydn)
 See original
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
Young Jockey was the blythest lad,
In a' our town or here awa' :
Fu' blythe he whistled at the gaud,
Fu' lightly danc'd he in the ha'.

He roos'd my een sae bonny blue,
He roos'd my waist sae gently sma';
An' aft my heart came to my mou'
When ne'er a body heard or saw.
 
My Jockey toils upon the plain,
Thro' wind and weet, thro' frost and snaw;
And o'er the lea I look fu' fain,
When Jockey's owsen hameward ca'.

When gloamin brings him hame again,
A blyther sight I never saw,
For aye he vows he'll be my ain
As lang's he has a breath to draw.

Glossary

Gaud = plough
Roos'd = praised, commended
Een = eyes
Fu'fain = joyfully
Owsen = oxen
Hameward ca' = drive
Gloaming = twilight

Composition:

    Set to music by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Young Jockey was the blythest lad", Hob. XXXIa no. 64bis, JHW. XXXII/3 no. 208

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Young Jockey was the blythest lad"

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

  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Můj Jockey"
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le jeune Jockey était le plus joyeux des garçons", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-08-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 117