Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
31 / 80
Public-domain lyrics

Dainty Davie

Robert Burns

“Dainty Davie” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 31 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

'Being pursued by a dragoon,

Within my bed he was laid down,

And weel I wat he was worth his room,

My douce, my dainty Davie!'"

Verse 2

Now rosy May comes in wi' flowers,

To deck her gay green birken bowers,

And now come in my happy hours,

To wander wi' my Davie.

Meet me on the warlock knowe,

Dainty Davie, dainty Davie;

There I'll spend the day wi' you,

My ain dear dainty Davie.

The crystal waters round us fa',

The merry birds are lovers a',

The scented breezes round us blaw,

A-wandering wi' my Davie.

When purple morning starts the hare,

To steal upon her early fare,

Then through the dews I will repair,

To meet my faithfu' Davie.

When day, expiring in the west,

The curtain draws o' Nature's rest,

I'll flee to his arms I lo'e best,

And that's my dainty Davie.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. 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, “Dainty Davie”

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.
Keep tracing

More from Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics.

01A Rose-budPublic-domain lyrics02A red, red RosePublic-domain lyrics03Address to a LadyPublic-domain lyrics04AdieuPublic-domain lyrics