O wha wad wish the wind to blaw,

Or the green leaves fa' therewith?

Or wha wad wish a lealer love

Than Brown Adam the Smith?

His hammer's o' the beaten gold,

His study's o' the steel,

(study, that which stands, i.e. the anvil (?))

His fingers white, are my delight,

He blows his bellows weel.

But they hae banish'd him, Brown Adam,

Frae father and frae mother;

And they hae banish'd him, Brown Adam,

Frae sister and frae brother.

And they hae banish'd Brown Adam,

Frae the flower o' a' his kin;

And he's bigged a bower i' the gude greenwood

Between his lady and him.

O it fell once upon a day,

Brown Adam he thought lang;

An' he would to the green-wood gang,

To hunt some venison.

He has ta'en his bow his arm o'er,

His bran' intill his han',

And he is to the gude green-wood

As fast as he could gang.

O he's shot up, and he's shot down,

The bird upon the briar;

And he sent it hame to his lady,

Bade her be of gude cheer.

O he's shot up, and he's shot down,

The bird upon the thorn;

And sent it hame to his lady,

Said he'd be hame the morn.

When he came to his lady's bower door

He stood a little forbye,

And there he heard a fu' fause knight

Tempting his gay lady.

For he's ta'en out a gay goud ring,

Had cost him many a poun',

"O grant me love for love, lady,

And this sal be thy own."—

"I lo'e Brown Adam weel," she says;

"I wot sae does he me;

An I wadna gie Brown Adam's love

For nae fause knight I see."—

Out has he ta'en a purse o' goud,

Was a' fu' to the string,

"O grant me but love for love, lady,

And a' this sail be thine."—

"I lo'e Brown Adam weel," she says;

"I wot sae does he me:

I wadna be your light leman,

For mair nor ye could gie."

Then out has he drawn his lang, lang bran',

And he's flash'd it in her een;

"Now grant me love for love, lady,

Or thro' ye this shall gang!"—

Oh, sighing, said that gay lady,

"Brown Adam tarries lang!"—

Then up it starts Brown Adam,

Says—"I'm just at your hand."—

He's gar'd him leave his bow, his bow,

He's gar'd him leave his brand,

He's gar'd him leave a better pledge—

Four fingers o' his right hand.