Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Whistle, and I'll come to you, my Lad

Robert Burns

“Whistle, and I'll come to you, my Lad” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 500 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

O whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad;

O whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad:

Tho' father and mither and a' should gae mad,

O whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad.

Verse 2

But warily tent, when ye come to court me,

And come na unless the back-yett be a-jee;

Syne up the back-stile, and let naebody see,

And come as ye were na comin to me.

And come, &c.

O whistle, &c.

Verse 3

At kirk, or at market, whene'er ye meet me,

Gang by me as tho' that ye car'd na a flie:

But steal me a blink o' your bonie black ee,

Yet look as ye were na lookin at me.

Yet look, &c.

O whistle, &c.

Verse 4

Aye vow and protest that ye care na for me,

And whiles ye may lightly my beauty a wee;

But court na anither, tho' jokin ye be,

For fear that she wyle your fancy frae me.

For fear, &c.

O whistle, &c.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “Whistle, and I'll come to you, my Lad”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-25. 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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