As I Went Out Ae May Morning

1.
As I went out ae May morning,
A May morning it chanc'd to be;
There I was aware of a weel-far'd maid,
Cam linkin o'er the lea to me.
2.
O, but she was a weel-far'd maid,
The boniest lass that's under the sun;
I spier'd gin she could fancy me,
But her answer was, 'I am too young.'
3.
'To be your bride I am too young,
To be your loun wad shame my kin,
So therefore pray young man begone,
For you never, never shall my favour win.'
4.
But amang yon birks and hawthorns green,
Where roses blaw and woodbines hing,
O, there I learn'd my bonie lass,
That she was not a single hour too young.
5.
The lassie blushed, the lassie sigh'd,
And the tear stood twinklin in her e'e;
'O kind Sir, since ye hae done me this wrang,
It's pray when will ye marry me.'
6.
'It's of that day tak ye nae heed,
For that's a day ye ne'er shall see;
For ought that passed between us twa,
Ye had your share as weel as me.'
7.
She wrang her hands, she tore her hair,
She cried out most bitterlie,
'O, what will I say to my mammie
When I gae hame wi' a fause storie.'
8.
'O, as ye maut, so maun ye brew,
And as ye brew, so maun ye tun:
But come to my arms, my ae bonie lass,
For ye never shall rue what ye now hae done.'

As I Went Out One May Morning


As I went out one May morning,
A May morning it chanced to be;
There I was aware of a well favoured maid,
Came dancing over the grass to me.

O, but she was a well favoured maid,
The loveliest girl that is under the sun;
I asked if she could fancy me,
But her answer was, 'I am too young.'

'To be your bride I am too young,
To be your fellow would shame my relatives,
So therefore pray young man begone,
For you never, never shall my favour win.'

But among yon birches and hawthorns green,
Where roses blow and woodbines hang,
O, there I learned my lovely girl (lass),
That she was not a single hour too young.

The girl blushed, the girl sighed,
And the tear stood twinkling in her eye;
'O kind Sir, since you have done me this wrong,
It is pray when will you marry me.'

'It is of that day take you no heed,
For that is a day you never shall see;
For anything that passed between us two,
You had your share as well as me.'

She wrung her hands, she tore her hair,
She cried out most bitterly,
'O, what will I say to my mother
When I go home with a false story.'

'O, as you malt, so must you brew,
And as you brew, so must you cask:
But come to my arms, my one lovely girl,
For you never shall rue what you now have done.'