Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics www.traditionalmusic.co.uk Bonny Birdie 
Bonny Birdie 
1 There: was a knight, in a summer's night, diddle
 Was riding oer the lee, diddle An there he saw a bonny birdy, Was singing upon a tree.
 O wow for day ! diddle An dear gin it were day ! diddle Gin it were day, an gin I were away ! For I ha na lang time to stay. diddle 
An dear gin it were day ! 
2 'Make best, make hast, ye gentle knight, What keeps you here so late ? Gin ye kent what was doing at hame, I fear you woud look blate.' 
3 'O what needs I toil day an night, My fair body to kill, Whan I hae knights at my comman, An ladys at my will ?' 
4 'Ye lee, ye lee, ye gentle knight, Sa loud 's I hear you lee; Your lady 'a a knight in her arms twa That she lees far better nor the.' 
5 'Ye lee, you lee, you bonny birdy, How you lee upo my sweet I will tak out my bonny bow, An in troth I will you sheet. 
6 'But afore ye hae your bow well bent,
 An a' your arrows yare, I will flee till another tree, Whare I can better fare' 
7 'O whare was you gotten, and whare was ye cleeked?
 My bonny birdy, tell me:' 'O I was cleeked in good green wood, Intill a holly tree; A gentleman my nest herryed, An ga me to his lady. 
8 'Wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk He bade her feed me aft, An ga her a little wee simmer-dale wanny, To ding me sindle and saft. 
9 'Wi good white: bread an farrow-cow milk I wot she fed me nought, But wi a little wee simmer-dale wanny She dang me sair an aft: Gin she had deen as ye her bade, I woudna tell how she has wrought' 
10 The knight he rade, and the birdy flew, The live-lang simmer's night, Till he came till his lady's bowr-door, Then even down he did light: The birdy sat on the crap of a tree, An I wot it sang fu dight. 
11 'O wow for day ! diddle
 An dear gin it were day ! diddle Gin it were day, an gin I were away' For I ha na lang time to stay. 
12 'What needs ye lang for day, An wish that you were away Is no your hounds i my cellar, Eating white meal an gray ?'
 O wow, etc. 
13 'Is nae your steed in my stable, Eating good corn an hay? An is nae your hawk i my perch-tree, Just perching for his prey ? An is nae yoursel i my arms twa? Then how can ye lang for day?' 
14 'O wow for day ! diddle An dear gin it were day ! For he that's in bed wi anither man's wife Has never lang time to stay. diddle 
15 Then out the knight has drawn his sword, An straiked it oer a strae, An thro and thro the fa'se knight's waste He gard cauld iron gae: An I hope ilk ane sal sae be servd That treats ane honest man sae. 
from Child Child #82 SOF OCT98