The lover he turned baith red and pale, Went doon upon his knee: "O Ladye, hear the waesome tale That must be told to thee!
"For five lang years, and five lang years, I coorted thee by looks; By nods and winks, by smiles and tears, As I had read in books.
"For ten lang years, O weary hours! I coorted thee by signs; By sending game, by sending flowers, By sending Valentines.
"For five lang years, and five lang years, I have dwelt in the far countrie, Till that thy mind should be inclined Mair tenderly to me.
"Now thirty years are gane and past, I am come frae a foreign land: I am come to tell thee my love at last-- O Ladye, gie me thy hand!"
The ladye she turned not pale nor red, But she smiled a pitiful smile: "Sic' a coortin' as yours, my man," she said "Takes a lang and a weary while!"
And out and laughed the popinjay, A laugh of bitter scorn: "A coortin' done in sic' a way, It ought not to be borne!"
[Illustration: "AND OUT AND LAUGHED THE POPINJAY"]
Wi' that the doggie barked aloud, And up and doon he ran, And tugged and strained his chain o' gowd, All for to bite the man.
"O hush thee, gentle popinjay! O hush thee, doggie dear! There is a word I fain wad say, It needeth he should hear!"
Aye louder screamed that ladye fair To drown her doggie's bark: Ever the lover shouted mair To make that ladye hark:
Shrill and more shrill the popinjay Upraised his angry squall: I trow the doggie's voice that day Was louder than them all!
The serving-men and serving-maids Sat by the kitchen fire: They heard sic' a din the parlour within As made them much admire.
[Illustration: "O HUSH THEE, GENTLE POPINJAY!"]
Out spake the boy in buttons (I ween he wasna thin), "Now wha will tae the parlour gae, And stay this deadlie din?"
And they have taen a kerchief, Casted their kevils in, For wha should tae the parlour gae, And stay that deadlie din.
When on that boy the kevil fell To stay the fearsome noise, "Gae in," they cried, "whate'er betide, Thou prince of button-boys!"
Syne, he has taen a supple cane To swinge that dog sae fat: The doggie yowled, the doggie howled The louder aye for that.
Syne, he has taen a mutton-bane-- The doggie ceased his noise, And followed doon the kitchen stair That prince of button-boys!
