James Honeyman: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Hie, bonnie lassie

James Honeyman

“Hie, bonnie lassie” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

James Honeyman: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Hie, bonnie lassie, blink over the burn,

And if your sheep wander I'll gi'e them a turn;

Sae happy as we'll be on yonder green shade,

If ye'll be my dawtie, and sit in my plaid.

A yowe and twa lammies are a' my haill stock,

But I'll sell a lammie out o' my wee flock,

To buy thee a head-piece, sae bonnie and braid,

If ye'll be my dawtie, and sit in my plaid.

I ha'e a wee whittle made me a trout creel,

And, oh, that wee whittle I likit it weel;

But I'll gi'e't to my lassie, and mair if I had,

If she'll be my dawtie, and sit in my plaid.

I ha'e little siller, but ae hauf-year's fee,

But if ye will tak' it, I'll gi'e't a' to thee;

And then we'll be married, and lie in ae bed,

If ye'll be my dawtie, and sit in my plaid.

Credits

Written by James Honeyman

Words by James Honeyman. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Hie, bonnie lassie”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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