My Bonnie Laddie's Lang o' Growing- (Paisley) c.1819 Motherwell
[My date. From: Motherwell, c. 1819, Motherwell contributed the first stanza (no date given) which was published in the notes to "Lady Mary Ann." The full ballad was published as a footnote in The Works of Robert Burns, 1845 by Cunningham who introduces it, "We subjoin a traditional copy of the old ballad:"
In his "Minstrelsy" 1827 Motherwell, published Burns "Lady Mary Ann." At that time he did not mention the "old country" version "from the west" as it's been called.
R. Matteson 2016]
"My Bonnie Laddie's Lang o' Growing"- given as a traditional version by Motherwell probably while he was at Paisley, no date given but 1819 or later.
The trees they are ivied, the leaves they are green.
The days are a' awa that I hae seen,
On the cauld winter nights I ha'e to lie my lane,
For my bonnie laddie's lang o' growing.
O father dear, you have done me great wrong,
You have wedded me to a boy that's too young,
He is scarce twelve, and I'm but thirteen,
And my bonnie laddie's lang o' growing.
0 daughter dear, I have done you no wrong,
I have wedded you to a noble lord's son.
He'll be the lord, and ye'll wait on,
And your bonnie laddie's daily growing.
0 father dear, if you think it fit,
We'll send him to the college a year or twa yet;
We'll tie a green ribbon round about his bar,
And that will be a token that he's married.
And O father dear, if this pleaseth you,
I will cut my hair ahoon my brow:
Coat, vest, and breeches I will put on.
And I to the college will go wi' him.
She's made him shirts[1] o' the holland sae fine,
And wi' her ain hands she sewed the same;
And aye the tears came trickling down.
Saying, my bonnie laddie's lang o' growing.
In his twelfth year he was a married man,
And in his thirteenth he had his auld son,
And in his fourteenth his grave it was green,
Sae that put an end to his growing.
1. usually "shroud"