From Greig-Duncan
It Fell Aboot

1. As I went out one May morning
'Twas on a morning early O,
And there I spied a weel-faured maid,
She was a farmer's daughter O.

Wi' my right fal adle eadle il ado adi,
Wi' my right fal adle eadle a re.

2 It fell about a Martinmas time
When the snow lay on the borders O
There came a troop o' soldiers here
To take up their winter quarters.

3. They made her swear a solemn oath,
With the salt tear in her e'e O,
That she must go to their quarter gate
That night e'er she did lie O.

4. So she has went to a barber's shop,
To a barber's shop went she O
And she's made them cut her yellow locks
A little above her e'e O.

5. And she's went to a tailor's shop,
To a tailor's shop went she O,
And she's dressed herself in men's clothing,
In men's clothing put she on.
With a pair of pistols hung by her side,
And a nice little boy was she O.

6. Now when she came to their quarter gate
It's loud loud did she call O,
There comes a troop of soldiers here,
And we meaun hae quarters all O.

7 But out then spoke the quarter-man,
For you there is nae room O,
For I hae but one bed to mysel',
And the girlie that is to come O."

8. But he put his hand in his pocket,
And pulled out half-a-crown O,
Says, "Tak' you that, you belted knight,
Go seek lodgings for yersel' O."

9. But she wasna far from their quarter-gate
Till loud loud did she call O,
"You are very kind wi' your purse, young man,
But ye're nae for a girlie at all O."

10. And out then spoke the quarter-man,
"It's we maun hae her in O,"
But she's put the spurs to her horse's side,
And she's won a maiden hame O.

Jim Carroll