Three versions in Alice Bertha Giomme's The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland, vol. 2 (1898; Dover, 1964, pp. 414-5, 428-9).
DIG FOR SILVER
Dig for silver, dig for gold,
Dig for the land that I was told.
As I went down by the water side
I met my lad with a tartan plaid.
My wee lad is a jolly sailor,
And shall be for evermore.
(Name of boy) took the notion
To go and sail on the ocean.
He took poor (name of girl) on his knee,
And sailed across Kilmarnock sea.
Stop your weeping, my dear --,
He'll come back and marry you.
He will buy you beads and earrings,
He will buy you a diamond stone,
He will buy a horse to ride on,
When your true love is dead and gone.
What care I for the beads and earrings,
What care I for the horse to ride on,
When my true love is dead and gone.
--Laureston School, Kircudbrightshire (L. Lawson)
Billy Johnson took a notion
For to go and sail the sea;
He has left his own true love
Weeping on the Greenock quay.
I will buy you beads and earrings,
I will buy you diamonds three,
I will buy you beads and earrings,
Bonny lassie, if you marry me.
What care I for beads and earrings,
What care for diamonds three,
What care I for beads and earrings,
When my own trie love is far from me.
--Perth (Rev. Dr. Gregor)
HEAR ALL! LET ME AT HER
Hear all! let me at her;
Hear all! let me go;
Hear all! let me at her,
When my mammy will or no.
-- has ta'en a notion
For to go and sail the sea;
There he's left his own dear --,
Weeping on the Greenland sea.
Hold your tongue, my own dear --,
Take your baby on your knee.
Drink his health, my jolly sailors,
I'll come back and marry thee.
I will buy thee beads and ear-rings,
I will buy thee diamnds stones,
I will buy thee silken ribbons,
When thy baby's dead and gone.
-- says she'll wear the ribbons,
-- says she'll wear them a'--
-- says she'll wear the ribbons
When her baby's dead and gone.
["A ring is formed, one palyer in the centre. When the verses are sung the girl in the middle chooses another to take her palce.--(Rev. Dr. Gregor.)"--Gomme]
~Masato