Poem by Hector Macneill

Tammy's Courtship

OH, where ha'e ye been a' day, my boy Tammy?
Where ha'e ye been a' day, my boy Tammy?
⁠     I've been by burn and flow'ry brae,
     ⁠Meadow green and mountain grey,
Courting, o' this young thing, just come frae her mammy.

And where gat ye that young thing, my boy Tammy?
And where gat ye that young thing, my boy Tammy?
⁠     I gat her down in yonder howe,
     ⁠Smiling on a broomy knowe,
Herding ae wee lamb and ewe for her poor mammy.

What said you to the bonny bairn, my boy Tammy?
What said you to the bonny bairn, my boy Tammy?
     ⁠I prais'd her een, sae lovely blue,
     ⁠Her dimpled cheek and cherry mou';
I pree'd it aft as ye may trow—she said she'd tell her mammy.

I held her to my beating breast, my young, my smiling lammy;
I held her to my beating breast, my young, my smiling lammy:
     ⁠I hae a house, it cost me dear,
⁠     I've wealth o' plenishing and gear,
Ye'se get it a', wer't ten times mair, gin ye will leave your mammy.

The smile gaed aff her bonny face—I manna leave my mammy,
The smile gaed aff her bonny face—I manna leave my mammy:
⁠     She's gi'en me meat, she's gi'en me claise,
⁠     She's been my comfort a' her days;
My Father's death brought mony waes—I canna leave my mammy.

We'll tak' her hame, and make her fain, my ain kind hearted lammy.
We'll tak' her hame, and mak' her fain, my ain kind hearted lammy;
⁠     We'll gi'e her meat, we'll gi'e her claise,
     We'll be her comfort all her days;
The wee thing gi'es her han, and says,—
          ⁠There! gang and ask my mammy.

Has she been to the kirk wi' thee, my boy Tammy?
Has she been to the kirk wi' thee, my boy Tammy?
⁠     She has been to the kirk wi' me,
⁠     And the tear was in her e'e—
But oh! she's but a young thing, just come frae her mammy! 

1. On Admiral Lord Nelson's Sending in the Hour of Victory, a Flag of Truce to Stop the Further Effusion
2. Mally Aiken, An Old Song Revived
3. My Love's in Germany
4. Come under My Plaidie; Or, Modern Marriage Delineated
5. The Scottish Muse

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