1.
Seven lang years I hae served the king,
_Fa fa fa fa lilly_
And I never got a sight of his daughter but ane.
_With my glimpy, glimpy, glimpy eedle,
Lillum too tee a ta too a tee a ta a tally_
2.
I saw her thro' a whummil bore,
And I ne'er got a sight of her no more.
3.
Twa was putting on her gown,
And ten was putting pins therein.
4.
Twa was putting on her shoon,
And twa was buckling them again.
5.
Five was combing down her hair,
And I never got a sight of her nae mair.
6.
Her neck and breast was like the snow,
Then from the bore I was forced to go.
[Annotations:
1.2,4,5: The burden is of course repeated in each stanza.
2.1: 'whummil bore,' a hole bored with a whimble or gimlet.]