Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Leader Haughs and Yarrow 2

Traditional

“Leader Haughs and Yarrow 2” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 229 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

The morn was fair, saft was the air,

All nature's sweets were springing;

The buds did bow with silver dew,

Ten thousand birds were singing;

When on the bent with blythe content,

Young Jamie sang his marrow,

Nae bonnier lass e'er trod the grass,

On Leader Haughs and Yarrow.

How sweet her face, where ev'ry grace

In heav'nly beauty's planted!

Her smiling een, and comely mien,

That nae perfection wanted.

I'll never fret, nor ban my fate,

But bless my bonnie marrow:

If her dear smile my doubts beguile,

My mind shall ken nae sorrow.

Yet though she's fair, and has full share

Of every charm inchanting,

Each good turns ill, and soon will kill

Poor me, if love be wanting.

O, bonnie lass! have but the grace

To think ere ye gae further,

Your joys maun flit, if you commit

The crying sin of murder.

My wand'ring ghaist will ne'er get rest,

And day and night affright ye;

But if ye're kind, with joyful mind,

I'll study to delight ye.

Our years around, with love thus crown'd,

From all things joy shall borrow:

Thus none shall be more blest than we,

On Leader Haughs and Yarrow.

O sweetest Sue! 'tis only you

Can make life worth my wishes,

If equal love your mind can move,

To grant this best of blisses.

Thou art my sun, and thy least frown

Would blast me in the blossom,

But if thou shine, and make me thine,

I'll flourish in thy bosom.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. 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, “Leader Haughs and Yarrow 2”

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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