1869

THE LANG COORTIN'

by Lewis Carroll

THE LANG COORTIN' -

THE ladye she stood at her lattice high,

Wi' her doggie at her feet;

Thorough the lattice she can spy

The passers in the street, -

"There's one that standeth at the door,

And tirleth at the pin:

Now speak and say, my popinjay,

If I sall let him in." -

Then up and spake the popinjay

That flew abune her head:

"Gae let him in that tirls the pin:

He cometh thee to wed." -

O when he cam' the parlour in,

A woeful man was he!

"And dinna ye ken your lover agen,

Sae well that loveth thee?" -

"And how wad I ken ye loved me, Sir,

That have been sae lang away?

And how wad I ken ye loved me, Sir?

Ye never telled me sae." -

Said- "Ladye dear," and the salt, salt tear

Cam' rinnin' doon his cheek,

"I have sent the tokens of my love

This many and many a week. -

"O didna ye get the rings, Ladye,

The rings o' the gowd sae fine?

I wot that I have sent to thee

Four score, four score and nine." -

"They cam' to me," said that fair ladye.

"Wow, they were flimsie things!"

Said- "that chain o'gowd, my doggie to howd,

It is made o' thae self-same rings." -

"And didna ye get the locks, the locks,

The locks o' my ain black hair,

Whilk I sent by post, whilk I sent by box,

Whilk I sent by the carrier?" -

"They cam' to me," said that fair ladye;

"And I prithee send nae mair!"

Said- "that cushion sae red, for my doggie's head,

It is stuffed wi' thae locks o' hair." -

"And didna ye get the letter, Ladye,

Tied wi' a silken string,

Whilk I sent to thee frae the far countrie,

A message of love to bring?" -

"It cam' to me frae the far countrie

Wi' its silken string and a';

But it wasna prepaid," said that high-born maid,

"Sae I gar'd them tak'it awa'." -

"O ever alack that ye sent it back,

It was written sae clerkly and well!

Now the message it brought, and the boon that it sought.

I must even say it mysel'." -

Then up and spake the popinjay,

Sae wisely counselled he.

"Now say it in the proper way:

Gae doon upon thy knee!" -

The lover he turned baith red and pale,

Went doon upon his knee:

"O Ladye, hear the waesome tale

That must be told to thee! -

"For five lang years, and five lang years,

I coorted thee by looks;

By nods and winks, by smiles and tears,

As I had read in books. -

"For ten lang years, O weary hours!

I coorted thee by signs;

By sending game, by sending flowers,

By sending Valentines. -

"For five lang years, and five lang years,

I have dwelt in the far countrie,

Till that thy mind should be inclined

Mair tenderly to me. -

"Now thirty years are gane and past,

I am come frae a foreign land:

I am come to tell thee my love at last-

O Ladye, gie me thy hand!" -

The ladye she turned not pale nor red,

But she smiled a pitiful smile:

"Sic' a coortin' as yours, my man," she said,