Craigston's Growing- (Aber) pre1818 Rev. Scott
[From The Glenbuchat Ballads; edited by David Buchan, James Moreira; dated pre-1818. This collection was gathered by Rev. Robert Scott, b. 1778, the minister at Glenbucket from 1808 until his death in 1855.
This ballad titled, Craigton's Growing, or another like it, was referred to by Stenhouse as heard by Burns in 1787. According to Cunningham: "An old ballad, called 'Craigton's growing,' was chanted to him[Burns] in one of his Highland excursions. . ." It was attributed as the source of "Lady Mary Ann." Only the last stanza appears to be learned by Burns-- his first two were from Herd.
This version is one of the few early authentic versions collected in the same area as the events of the ballad (Aberdeenshire).
R. Matteson 2016]
"Craigston's Growing"- no informant named, before 1818; from Robert Scott, Aberdeenshire; from The Glenbuchat Ballads.
1. The trees they are high and the leaves they are green
The days are awa that I hae seen
But better days I thought wou'd come again
An' my bonny, bonny boy was growin
2. I've been climbing a tree that's too high for me.
I've been seeking fruit thats nae growin.
I've been seeking hot water beneath the cold ice
An' against the stream I've been rowin.
3. Father she said, you've done me much wrang
You've wedded to a young, young man
I'd have wedded ane wid staff in his han
'Afore I had wedded a boy.
4. O Daughter I did you no wrong
For the wedding you to o'er young a man
You've your tocher in your ain han'
An' your bonny love daily growin.
5 O father if ye think it fit
We'll send him a year to the College yet
We'll tie a green ribbon around his hat
To let them ken that he's married
Four & twenty cambric braids she had plait
An' sent to College wi him.
6. She lookit o'er her father's castle wa'
Saw four & twenty bonny boys playin' at the ba'
But her ain love was foremost amang them a'
Young Craigston's daily growin.
7. In's fourteenth year he was a married man
In's fifteenth year he had a young son.
In's sixteenth year his grave grew green
Alas! for Craigston's growin
8. The trees are high & the leaves are green
The days are awa that I hae seen
An' anither may be welcome where I hae happy been
Tak up young Craigston's growin.