I'm Seventeen 'gin Sunday (Anmtrim) 1926 Henry A
[From Sam Henry's Songs of the People edited by Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann, 1990 reprinted 2010. This Irish version dated 1926 is from the Scottish "Waukrife Mammy" tradition yet it has the "shoes and stockings" stanza from "Maid and Soldier."
R. Matteson 2018]
"I'm Seventeen 'gin Sunday" from Ballycastle District, published Oct. 9, 1926.
'Where are you going, my bonnie wee lass?
Where are you going, my honey?'
Right modestly she answered me,
'An errand for my mammy.'
CHORUS: With my roor-ri-ra, Fond a doo a da,
With my roo ri ranta mirandy.
'What's your age, my bonnie wee lass,
What's your age, my honey?'
Right modestly she answered me,
'I'm seventeen 'gin Sunday.'
'Would you tak' a man, my bonnie wee lass?
Would you tak' a man, my honey?'
Right modestly she answered me,
'If it wasny for my mammy.
She had new shoes and stockin's too,
And her buckles shone like silver,
She had a dark and rolling eye,
And her hair hanging over her shoulders.
'If I would go doon to your wee hoose,
And the moon was shining clearly,
Would you open the do[o]r and let me in,
If the oul' wife widna hear me?'
I gaed doon to her wee hoose,
And the moon was shining clearly,
She opened the do[o]r and let me in,
And the oul' wife didna hear me.
Canny slippin' aff my boots
In case that oul' thrush wid ken me,
But by my feth I wasn't long in
Till the oul' wife heard us talkin'.
Canny slippin' doon the stairs,
By the hair o' the heed she caught her
And with a great big hazel stick
She left her a well-bate daughter.
Throwing in the stool tae the fire
In case that oul' thrush wid ken me,
But by my feth I had tae tak'
The green fields tae defend me.
Come over the burn, my bonnie wee lass,
Come over the burn, my honey,
Till I get a kiss o' your sweet lips
To spite your aul', aul' mammy.
____________________
5.4: ... wife didna hear ...
8.4: ... left a ...
10.4: ... your dour auld ...
7.1: aff