Highland Balou
Hee-balou, my sweet, wee Donald,
Picture o' the great Clanronald;
Brawly kens our wanton Chief
Wha got my wee Highland thief.--
Leeze me on thy bonie craigie,
And thou live, thou'll steal a naigie,
Travel the country thro' and thro',
And bring hame a Carlisle cow.--
Thro' the Lawlands, o'er the Border,
Weel, my babie, may thou furder:
Herry the louns o' the laigh Countrie,
Syne to the Highlands hame to me.--
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A versification by Burns of the tenor of a Gaelic
lullaby (Stenhouse Illus., 416). With music in SMM V
(1796), 486 (no. 472) [1.4 young]. Kinsley Burns 865
(no. 580), and note, 1511. Moffat 50 TSNR (1933), 32, with
music, a "Gaelic Air", which changes the music of the
4th line (s/ d' l s f m d d), besides expurgating the
first st.: Thou'lt be chief o' a' the clan/ If thou art
spared to be a man. Var.: 2.2 lift.
MS
APR99
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!