My father couldna work, and my mother couldna spin ;
I toird day and night, but their bread I couldna win ;
Auld Rob maintained them baith, and wi' tears in his

e'e
Said, Jennie, for their sakes, O, marry me !

My heart it said nay ; I looked for Jamie back ;

But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a

wrack ;
His ship it was a wrack — why didna Jamie dee ?
Or why do I live to cry, Wae's me ?

My father urp^it sair : my mother didna speak ;

But she lookM in my face till my heart was like to

break :
They gi'ed him my hand, but my heart was at the sea ;
Sae a5d Robin Gray he was gudeman to me.
I hadna been a wife a week but only four,
When moumfu' as I sat on the stane at the door,
I saw my Jamie's wraith, for I couldna think it he-
Till he said, I'm come hame to marry thee.
sair, sair did we greet, and muckle did we say ;
We took but ae kiss, and I bad him ^ang away :

1 wish that I were dead, but I'm no like to dee ;
And why was I born to say, Wae's me !

I gang like a ghaist, and I carena to spin ;
I dauma think on Jamie, for that wad be a sin ;
But I'll do my best a gude wife aye to be.
For auld Robin Gray he is kind unto me.
