The Braes o’ Balquhither

The Forgotten Verse 3


(verse 3)
While the lads o’ the south,
Toil for bare war’ly treasure.
To the lads o’ the north
Ev’ry day brings its pleasure,
Tho' simple are the joys
The brave highlanders possesses.
Yet he feels no annoys,
For he fears no distresses.



Nine broadsides from the Bodlian Library with date range 1814-1910, but most likely between 1820 and 1859, all have the same four verses. None have the extra fifth verse (labelled verse 3).

Three Scottish chapbooks with dates 1812, 1812-1820, 1804-1819 all contain the extra fifth verse (verse 3).
Two of the chapbook versions have the full five verses, while one chapbook version is missing one verse (labelled verse 4):

A fourth Scottish chapbook was published at Falkirk in 1814, held in the British Library at shelfmark 11621.b.10.(35.).
But I am unable to obtain a digital version to view online.
It is likely that this chapbook version will also contain the extra fifth verse (verse 3), and may even have all five verses.

A fifth Scottish chapbook by the printer Thomas Johnston, Falkirk 1822, has all five verses. Which means the 1814 chapbook version would most likely have the same five verses.

These five chapbooks were all published before 1823, with a date range 1810-1822,and contain the extra fifth verse (verse 3).

The nine broadsides dated from 1820s to 1850s do not contain this extra fifth verse. They all have the same four verses.


The publication "Poems and Songs, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect" by Robert Tannahill, 3rd edition, 1815, p.154,
has only four verses.

The publication R.A. Smith's Scottish Minstrel (1821-1824), vol. 1, 1821, pg. 49,
has only four verses.

A five verse voice and piano arrangement was published by J.A. and W. Geib in New York circa 1818-1821. 
Catalog Record: The Braes of Balquhither Hathi Trust Digital Library


While the full five verses were printed in publications, such as chapbooks, prior to 1823, it seems that from the 1820s onwards publications, such as broadsides and book collections, were printing only four verses, and the fifth verse was largely forgotten.


Here is once again the five verses which I believe is the full version.

"The Braes o’ Balquhither"

1
Let us go, lassie, go
To the braes o' Balquhither,
Where the blae-berries grow
'Mang the bonnie Highland heather;
Where flie deer and the rae
Lightly bounding together,
Sport the lang summer day
On the braes o' Balquhither.

2
I will twine thee a bower,
By the clear siller fountain,
And I'll cover it o'er
Wi' the flowers o' the mountain;
I will range through the wilds,
And the deep glens sae dreary,
And return wi' their spoils.
To the bower o' my deary.

3
While the lads o’ the south,
Toil for bare war’ly treasure.
To the lads o’ the north
Ev’ry day brings its pleasure,
Tho' simple are the joys
The brave highlanders possesses.
Yet he feels no annoys,
For he fears no distresses.

4
When the rude wintry win'
Idly raves round our dwelling,
And the roar of the linn
On the night breeze is swelling,
So merrily we'll sing,
As the storm rattles o'er us,
'Till the dear sheeling ring
Wi' the light lilting chorus.

5
Now the summer is in prime,
Wi' the flowers richly blooming,
And the wild mountain thyme
A' the moorlands perfuming;
To our dear native scenes
Let us journey together,
Where glad innocence reigns
'Mang the braes o' Balquhither.


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