THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST
 

I've heard the liltin' at our ewe-milkin',

Lasses a-liltin' before dawn o' day;

Now there's a moanin' on ilka green loanin',                 milking park                                
The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.

At buchts in the monin', nae blythe lads are scornin',   sheep-pen

Lasses are lanely, and dowie, and wae;                                  sad

 Nae daffin', nae gabbin', but sighin' and sabbin',        dallying

Ilk ane lifts her leglin and hies her away.

In har'st at the shearin', nae youths now are jeerin',

 The bandsters are runkled, and lyart, and gray;binders of sheaves

At fair or at preachin', nae wooin', nae fleechin',          flatter

The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.

At e'en, in the gloamin', nae swankies are roamin'       gallants

'Bout stacks, 'mang the lassies at bogle to play;    hide and seek

But each ane sits dreary, lamentin' her dearie,

The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.  

Dool and wae for the order sent our lads to the border,       grief

The English for ance by guile wan the day;

The flowers of the forest, that fought aye the foremost,

The prime o' our land now lie cauld in the clay.
 

We'll hear nae mair liltin' at our ewe-milkin',

Women and bairns are dowie and wae;

Sighin' and moanin' on ilka green loanin',

The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.
 

Dool and wae for the order sent our lads to the border,  

The English for ance by guile wan the day;

The flowers of the forest, that fought aye the foremost,

The prime o' our land now lie cauld in the clay.

We'll hear nae mair liltin' at our ewe-milkin',

Women and bairns are dowie and wae;

Sighin' and moanin' on ilka green loanin',

The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.

The End