The Gypsy Laddie
Jean Redpath, First Flight, Rounder CD 11556; ballad first issued on Scottish Ballad Book, Elektra EKL 214. Jean Redpath writes that the tune was taken from Jeannie Robertson, and the text from the one recorded by Gavin Grieg in the second volume of his Folksongs of the North east.

I CAN'T GET A COUPLE OF WORDS IN THE LAST TWO STANZAS.Please, help. Thank you. Roberto

Three gypsies come to oor ha' door
And O but they sang bonnie O
They sang sae sweet and sae complete
They charmed the heart o' a lady O

The lady she cam' doon the stair
Her twa handmaidens wi' her O
Sune as they spied her weel-faured face
They cast their comprolls o'er her O

They've gi'en to her the nutmeg fine
Yhey've gi'en to her the ginger O
She's gi'en to them a far better thing
The gold ring fae off her finger O

It's ye'll tak off your silken goon
Pit on this tartan plaidie O
And come awa' this lee-lang nicht
Tae follee the gypsy laddie O

So she's ta'en off her silken goon
Pit on her tartan plaidie O
And gaed awa? that lee-lang nicht
Tae follee the gypsy laddie O

Lord Castles he cam' hame at nicht
Enquiring for his lady, O
One did hide and the other replied:
She's awa' wi' the gypsy laddie O

So he rode east and he rode west
Till he cam' to yonder boggie O
There he spied the pretty young girl
Wi' the gypsies standing aroond her O

It's ye'll come back and back ye'll come
Ye'll come back my lady O
For I will neither eat nor drink
'fore you come back aside me O

O I winna come wi' you, my honey and my heart
I winna come wi' you, my dearie O
Till I've drunk the breest I brewed
And that's in the water o Eerie O

Last night I lay in a fine feather bed
I .... (sounds like "gread"???) with a lord aside me O
The (?) night I will lay in the cold open field
Wi' the gypsies lying aroond me O

There's sixteen o' you and a' guid men
Nane o' (?) you are bonnie O
And ye shall a' a-hangit be
For the stealin' awa' o' my lady O