Student Boy- Wallace (Aber) 1908 Duncan B
[From The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection- Volume 8- page 521 by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle, published 2002. This is a variant of Foolish Young Girl or, Irish Boy which begins with the opening stanza of Brisk Young Sailor.
William Wallace is a famous Scottish name, not sure of any relationship. This William Wallace was collected by Duncan on Sept. 17, 1908 so this ballad is probably about that date. See also his other ballad versions in Last Leaves by Greig and Keith, 1925.
R. Matteson 2017]
B. "The Student Boy," sung by William Wallace of Leochel-Cushnie, Aberdeenshire about Sept. 17, 1908.
1. A student boy came a-courtin' me,
And stole away my liberty,
My liberty and my free goodwill,
Yet I must confess I love him still.
CHORUS: For a foolish young girl was I, I, I,
To lay my life for a student boy
A student boy although that he be,
He spoke braid Scots when he courtit me.
2. When my apron was low,
He followed me through frost and snow,
But now its up and boon my knee,
And my lad goes by and he sees nae me.
3. I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
I wish I were a maid again;
But a maid again I never will be
Till the orange grow on an apple tree.
4. I wish, I wish, my babe was born
And placed upon some nurse's knee.
And I myself were dead and gone
And the long grass growing over me.
5. But when that I am gone and dead,
Put a marble stone at my feet and head,
And in the middle a turtle-dove,
To let all the world know I died for love.