'Whare hae ye been a' day,
My boy, Tammy?
Whare hae ye been a' day,
My boy, Tammy?'
'I 've been by burn and flow'ry brae,
Meadow green, and mountain gray,
Courting o' this young thing,
Just come frae her mammy.'

'And whare got ye that young thing,
My boy, Tammy?'
'I gat her down in yonder howe,
Smiling on a broomy knowe,
Herding a wee lamb and ewe
For her poor mammy.'

'What said ye to the bonnie bairn,
My boy, Tammy?'
'I praised her een, sae bonny blue,
Her dimpled cheek, and cherry mou';
I pree'd it aft, as ye may true;
She said she 'd tell her mammy.

'I held her to my beating heart,
My young, my smiling lammie!
I hae a house, it cost me dear
I 've wealth o' plenishin' and gear;
Ye 'se get it a', were 't ten times mair,
Gin ye will leave your mammy.'

'The smile gaed aff her bonnie face
'I maunna leave my mammy;
She 's gi'en me meat, she 's gi'en me claise,
She 's been my comfort a' my days;
My father's death brought mony waes
I canna leave my mammy.''

'We 'll tak her hame, and mak her fain,
My ain kind-hearted lammie;
We 'll gi'e her meat, we 'll gi'e her claise,
We 'll be her comfort a' her days.'
The wee thing gi'es her hand and says
'There! gang and ask my mammy.'

'Has she been to kirk wi' thee,
My boy, Tammy?'
'She has been to kirk wi' me,
And the tear was in her e'e;
But, oh! she 's but a young thing,
Just come frae her mammy.'