'Tis not for love of gold I go,
'Tis not for love of fame;
Tho' Fortune should her smile bestow,
And I may win a name,
Ailleen,
And I may win a name.
And yet it is for gold I go,
And yet it is for fame,--
That they may deck another brow
And bless another name,
Ailleen,
And bless another name.
For this, but this, I go--for this
I lose thy love awhile;
And all the soft and quiet bliss
Of thy young, faithful smile,
Ailleen,
Of thy young, faithful smile.
And I go to brave a world I hate
And woo it o'er and o'er,
And tempt a wave and try a fate
Upon a stranger shore,
Ailleen.
Upon a stranger shore.
Oh! when the gold is wooed and won,
I know a heart will care!
Oh! when the bays are all my own,
I know a brow shall wear,
Ailleen,
I know a brow shall wear.
And when, with both returned again,
My native land to see,
I know a smile will meet me there
And a hand will welcome me,
Ailleen,
And a hand will welcome me!