Unknown - Fair O Balnaminna Lyrics

The Fair O' Balnaminna

As I was comin' hame frae the Fair o' Balnaminna,
I met a bonnie lass, she was fairer than Diana ;
I asked her where she dwelt as we jogged along the-gither,
By yon bonny mountain side, she replied among the heather.

O lassie' I'm in love wi' you, you have sae many charms,
O lassie' I'm in love wi' you, my bosom to you warms;
The blithe blink o' your e'e, and your person being so clever,
I wad fondly wed wi' thee, you're my lassie owre the heather.

Oh dinna think, young man, she said,
I'd believe what ye hae spoken;
For I'm happy and I'm weel wi' my father and my mither,
lt wad tak' a canny chiel for to wile me owre the heather.
O lassie, condescend wi' me, and dinna be sae cruel,
And grant to me just ae kiss' a kiss o' you my jewel.
lf I would grant to you ae kiss you'd be sure to ask anither;
But we kissed and kissed again as we wan thro the heather.

This couple they've got married now in spite o' wind and weather,
This couple they've got married now and live wi' ane anither;
And their bairnies creep aroon them like the lammies roon their mither,
And they kiss and kiss again when they mind upon the heather.

Printed in Folk-Song of the North-East, Grieg
"the tune resembles the Braes of Balquhidder" according to Grieg