"The text of _Lord Thomas and Fair Annet_," remarks Jamieson, "seems to have been adjusted, previous to its leaving Scotland, by some one who was more of a scholar than the reciters of ballads generally are; and, in attempting to give it an antique cast, it has been deprived of somewhat of that easy facility which is the distinguished characteristic of the traditionary ballad narrative. With the text of the following ditty, no such experiment has been made. It is here given pure and entire, as it was taken down by the editor, from the recitation of a lady in Aberbrothick, (Mrs. W. Arrot.) As she had, when a child, learnt the ballad from an elderly maid-servant, and probably had not repeated it for a dozen years before I had the good fortune to be introduced to her, it may be depended upon, that every line was recited to me as nearly as possible in the exact form in which she learnt it." Mr. Chambers, in conformity with the plan of his work, presents us with an edition composed out of Percy's and Jamieson's, with some amended readings and additional verses from a manuscript copy, (_Scottish Ballads_, p. 269.) Sweet Willie and fair Annie Sat a' day on a hill; And though they had sitten seven year, They ne'er wad had their fill. Sweet Willie said a word in haste, 5 And Annie took it ill: "I winna wed a tocherless maid, Against my parent's will." "Ye're come o' the rich, Willie, And I'm come o' the poor; 10 I'm o'er laigh to be your bride, And I winna be your whore." O Annie she's gane till her bower, And Willie down the den; And he's come till his mither's bower, 15 By the lei light o' the moon. "O sleep ye, wake ye, mither?" he says, "Or are ye the bower within?" "I sleep richt aft, I wake richt aft;[L19] What want ye wi' me, son? 20 "Whare hae ye been a' night, Willie? O wow! ye've tarried lang!" "I have been courtin' fair Annie, And she is frae me gane. "There is twa maidens in a bower; 25 Which o' them sall I bring hame? The nut-brown maid has sheep and cows, And fair Annie has nane." "It's an ye wed the nut-brown maid, I'll heap gold wi' my hand; 30 But an ye wed her, fair Annie, I'll straik it wi' a wand. "The nut-brown maid has sheep and cows, And fair Annie has nane; And Willie, for my benison, 35 The nut-brown maid bring hame." "O I sall wed the nut-brown maid, And I sall bring her hame; But peace nor rest between us twa, Till death sinder's again. 40