MacPherson's Lament
Hamish ImlachOriginale | SECONDA VERSIONE Old Blind Dogs |
MACPHERSON'S LAMENT Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong, farewell, farewell to thee McPherson's life will no be long on yonder gallows tree Sae rantinly, sae wantonly, and sae dauntonly gaed he He played a tune and he danced around below the gallows tree There's some come here for to see me hung, and some to buy my fiddle But before that I do part with her, I'll break her through the middle Sae rantinly, sae wantonly, and sae dauntonly gaed he He played a tune and he danced around below the gallows tree He took his fiddle in both of his hands, and he broke it o'er a stone Saying: "There's no other hand shall play on thee when I am dead and gone" Sae rantinly, sae wantonly, and sae dauntonly gaed he He played a tune and he danced around below the gallows tree The reprieve was coming o'er the Brig of Banff, to set McPherson free But they put the clock a quarter before, and they hanged him from a tree Sae rantinly, sae wantonly, and sae dauntonly gaed he He played a tune and he danced around below the gallows tree | MACPHERSON'S LAMENT Sae(1) rantinly(2), sae wantonly(3), and sae dauntonly(4) gaed(5) he He played a tune as he danced around below the gallows tree Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong A lang fareweel tae thee Macpherson’s time will ne’er be lang On yonder gallows tree. ‘Twas by a woman’s treacherous hand That I was condemned tae dee She ca’ed me o’er tae the window sill And a blanket she threw o’er me The Laird o’ Grant, oh that hieland sant That first laid hands on me He pleads the cause o’ Peter Broon Ach, let MacPherson free “Untie these bands frae off my hands An’ bring tae me my sword There’s nae a man in a’ Scotland I’ll brave him at a word” “Oh there’s some come here tae see me hanged And some to buy my fiddle But before I do part wi’ her I’ll brak thro’ her the middle” He ta’en the fiddle into both his hands He’s brak it o’er a stane Sayin’, “No anither hand will play on thee When I am dead and gane” “Oh little did my mither think When first that she cradled me That I would turn tae the rovin’ trade And die on gallows tree” Reprieve was comin’ o’er the brig o’ Banf Tae set MacPherson free They put the clock aye a quarter ‘fore And they hanged him frae the tree. |
1) “sae” = so
2) “rantinly o rantingly” = merrily
3)“wantonly o wantingly” = adverb version of “want”
4)“dauntonly o dauntingly” = overcome
5)“gaed” = went
6) “brig” = bridge
7) Banff è una cittadina sulla costa Est della Scozia nel Aberdeenshire