Traditional Scottish Songs
- My Ain Folk
William Braund never set foot in Scotland - he lived his life in South London and worked for a firm of pianoforte manufacturers. He explained that his use of a pen name was "because there is somewhat of a prejudice on the part of employers against the writing of verses by those following commercial avocations. It is deemed that such verse-writing is apt to conduce to less zeal being shown in their routine employment."
My Ain Folk
Far frae my hame I wander, but still my thoughts return
To my ain folk ower yonder, in the shieling by the burn.
I see the cosy ingle, and the mist abune the brae:
And joy and sadness mingle, as I list some auld-warld lay.Chorus
And it's oh! but I'm longing for my ain folk,
Tho' they be but lowly, puir and plain folk:
I am far beyond the sea, but my heart will ever be
At home in dear auld Scotland, wi' my ain folk.
O' their absent ane they're telling, the auld folk by the fire:
And I mark the swift tears welling, as the ruddy flame leaps high'r.
How the mither wad caress me, were I but by her side:
Now she prays that Heav'n will bless me, tho' the stormy seas divide.Chorus
Meaning of unusual words:
shieling=hut used by people looking after animals high in the hills.
ingle=fireside
abune=above
brae=hillside
auld-warld=old world
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
