Hi,

Perhaps the best and most archaic version in the The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection is the one from Bell Robertson, whose mother, Jean Gall was taught songs by her mother Isobel Stephen which date to the late 1700s in Strichen. This seems to predate "Rolling Eye" c. 1850 although an earlier date can't be quantified. It's part of the Waulkrife Mammy tradition of the late 1700s.

"As I Gaed O'er yon Hech, Hech Hill," sung by Bell Roberston (1841-1922) New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire. The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection, version L, collected by Greig about 1905.

1. As I gaed ow'er yon hech, hech hill,
I met a bonny lassie
She looked to me and I to her
And wow but she looked saucy.

CHORUS To my rowdum towdum, fala reedle ee,
To my rowdum tow fal dee.

2. Faur are ye gaun, my bonnnie, bonnie lass?
Faur are ye gaun, my honey?
Right modestly she did reply,
An errand to my mammy.

3. "Fat[1] is yer name, my bonnie, bonnie lass?
Fat is yer name, my honey?"
Right modestly she did reply,
"My mother calls me Nanny."

4. "Fat is yer age, my bonnie, bonnie lass?
Fat is yer age, my honey?
Right modestly she did reply,
"I'm sixteen years come Sunday."

5. "Faur do ye dwell, my bonnie, bonnie lass?
Faur do ye dwell, my honey?"
Right modestly she did reply,
"In a wee hoose wi' my mammy."

6. Will ye hae a man my bonnie, bonnie lass?
Will ye hae a man, my honey?
Right modestly she did reply,
I daurna for my mammy.

7. Will I come and see ye, my bonnie, bonnie lass?
Will I come and see ye, my honey?
Right modestly she did reply,
In't waurna for my mammy.

8. I crap in at my love's bed feet,
To see gin she was wauken,
But we hadna spoken a word or twa,
Till the aul' wife heard us talkin'.

9. She begoud to blaw the coals,
To see gin she cud ken me.
But I crap oot at my love's bed feet,
And took to the feedles[2] to screen me.

10. She's ta'en her by the hair o' the head,
And to the fleer[3] she brought her,
And wi' a piece o' a hazel rung,
She made her a well-paid[4] daughter.

11. Blink o'er the burn, my bonnie, bonnie lass,
Blink o'er the burn, my honey,
The time will come that ye sall be mine,
For a' yer waukrife mammy[5].

___________________________

1. Fat =Vat = What
2. fields
3. floor
4. well-beat/ well punished
5. In spite of your wakeful mammy