As I roved out one fine simmer's morn
Among lofty hills, moorlands and mountains,
It was there I sspied a weel faur'd maid
As I, wi'others, was oo-a-huntin'

No shoes nor stockings did she wear,
And neither had she cap nor feather,
But her golden hair hung in ringlets fair
And the gentle breeze blew 'round her shoulder.

I said,"Braw lasie, why roam your lane,
Why roam your lane amang the heather?"
She said,"My father's awa'frae hame
And I"m herding a'his yowes thegither."

I said,"Braw Lassie, if ye'll be mine,
And care to lie on a bed of feather,
In silks and satins you will shine,
And you'll be my queen amang the heather."

She said, "Kind sir, your offer's good,
Ah, but I"m afraid it was meant for laughter.
For I see you are some rich suire's son
And I am but a poor shepherd's daughter.

"But had ye been a shepherd's loon
A-herdin yowes in yonder valley,
Or had ye been some ploughman's son,
Wi' a' my heart could hae lo'ed ye."

Now, I've been to halls and I've been tae balls,
I've been to London and Balquidder,
But the bonniest lass that e'er I saw
She was herdin' yowes amang the heather.

So we both sat down upon the plain,
We sat awhile and we talked togeother,
And we left the yowoes to stray their lane
Till I lo'ed my queen amang the heather.

Archie said he learned this version from Belle Stewart and it was called "Skippin' Barefoot Through The Heather".........

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Line breaks added. --JoeClone