Hi,

According to Cunningham: "An old ballad, called "Craigton's growing," was chanted to him[Burns] in one of his Highland excursions. . ."

Since the ballad was not know by that name at that time- this comment seems authentic.

Even though Burns got the first two stanzas from Herd's MS, stanzas 5 and 6 correspond to "Craigston's Growing":

"Craigston's Growing" before 1818; from The Glenbuchat Ballads; edited by David Buchan, James Moreira

1. The trees they are high and the leaves they are green
The days are awa that I hae seen
But better days I thought wou'd come again
An' my bonny, bonny boy was growin

2. I've been climbing a tree that's too high for me.
I've been seeking fruit thats nae growin.
I've been seeking hot water beneath the cold ice
An' against the stream I've been rowin.

3. Father she said, you've done me much wrang
You've wedded to a young, young man
I'd have wedded ane wid staff in his han
'Afore I had wedded a Boy.

4. O Daughter I did you no wrong
For the wedding you to o'er young a man
You've your tocher in your ain han'
An' your bonny love daily growin

5 O father if ye think it fit
We'll send him a year to the College yet
We'll tie a green ribbon around his hat
To let them ken that he's married
Four & Twenty cambric braids she had plait
An' sent to College wi him.

6. She lookit o'er her father's castle wa'
Saw four & Twenty bonny boys playin at the ba'
But her ain love was foremost amang them a'
Young Craigston's daily growin

7. In's fourteenth year he was a married man
In's fifteenth year he had a young son.
In's Sixteenth year his grave grew green
Alas! for Craigston's growin

8. The Trees are high & the leaves are green
The days are awa that I hae seen
An' anither may be welcome where I hae happy been
Tak up young Craigston's growin

Richie