159 The Gardener
I
The gardener stands in his bower-door,
With a primrose in his hand,
And by there came a leal1291 maiden
As jimp1292 as a willow wand.
II
‘O lady, can you fancy me,
For to be my bride?
Ye’se get a’ the flowers in my garden
To be to you a weed1293.
III
‘The lily white sall be your smock
Becomes your body best;
Your head sall be busk’d wi’ gillyflower
And the primrose in your breast.
IV
‘Your gown sall be the sweet-william,
Your coat the camovine1294,
Your apron a’ the salluds neat
That taste baith sweet and fine.
V
‘Your stockings sall be o’ the braid kail-blade,
That is baith braid and lang;
And narrow, narrow at the cute1295,
And braid, braid at the brawn1296.
VI
‘Your gloves sall be the marigold,
All glittering to your hand,
Well spread o’er wi’ the blue blaewort1297
That grows amang corn-land.’—
VII
‘O fare ye well, young man,’ she says,
‘Farewell, and I bid adieu;
If you can fancy me,’ she says,
‘O I cannot fancy you.
VIII
‘Sin ye’ve provided a weed for me
Amang the summer flowers,
Then I’se provide anither for you
Amang the winter showers.—
IX
‘The new-fa’n snaw to be your smock
Becomes your body best;
An’ your head sall be wound wi’ the eastern wind,
An’ the cauld rain on your breast.’
Footnotes
1291 leal = true.
1292 jimp = slender.
1293 weed = clothing.
1294 camovine = camomile.
1295 cute = ankle.
1296 brawn = calf.
1297 blaewort = corn bluebottle.