THE AULD MEAL MILL
(Traditional)


When the horse are in the stable,
And the kye are in the byre,
And the hard day's work is over,
And the auld folk roond the fire.                
I gang slippin’ through the heather,              
Tae yon fairm ahent the hill.                         
Jist tae see ma bonnie lassie,                          
By the auld meal mill. 

She's got een like bramble berries
She's got cheeks like mountain haws
And her lips are red like cherries
She's the bonniest floo'er that blaws
How I weary for the lousin'
How I lang tae quit the drill
And gang aff tae see my lassie
By the auld meal mill.
       
Noo the auld folk oft-times wonder,
Whit could keep me oot sae late.
And they never gang tae sleep,
Until they hear me sneck the gate.
But the auld man, he jalouses,
When he sees me tak’ the hill,
That I’m aff tae see ma lassie,
By the auld meal mill.


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Glossary:
Kye = cattle; Auld = old; Gang = go; Ahent = behind; 
Jist = just; Een = eyes; Bramble berries = blackberries; 
Mountain haws = hawthorn berries; Floo’er = flower; 
Lousin’ = lousing = quitting time; Quit the drill = stop working, (ploughing);
Lang = long = (in this instance), yearn; Noo = now; Oot = out; Sae = so;
Sneck = latch or lock; Jalouses = guesses; Tak’ = take; Aff = off.


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(Contributed by Alex Moore - May 2005)