| |
| AH, HAD you seen the Coolun, | |
| Walking down by the cuckoo’s street, | |
| With the dew of the meadow shining | |
| On her milk-white twinkling feet. | |
| My love she is, and my colleen óg | 5 |
| And she dwells in Bal’nagar; | |
| And she bears the palm of beauty bright | |
| From the fairest that in Erin are. | |
| |
| In Bal’nagar is the Coolun: | |
| Like the berry on the bough her cheek; | 10 |
| Bright beauty dwells forever | |
| On her fair neck and ringlets sleek; | |
| Oh, sweeter is her mouth’s soft music | |
| Than the lark or thrush at dawn, | |
| Or the blackbird in the greenwood singing | 15 |
| Farewell to the setting sun. | |
| |
| Rise up, my boy! make ready | |
| My horse, for I forth would ride, | |
| To follow the modest damsel, | |
| Where she walks on the green hill-side: | 20 |
| For ever since youth were we plighted, | |
| In faith, troth, and wedlock true— | |
| Oh, she’s sweetêr to me nine times over | |
| Than organ or cuckoo! | |
| |
| For ever since my childhood | 25 |
| I loved the fair and darling child; | |
| But our people came between us, | |
| And with lucre our pure love defiled: | |
| Oh, my woe it is, and my bitter pain, | |
| And I weep it night and day, | 30 |
| That the colleen bán of my early love | |
| Is torn from my heart away. | |
| |
| Sweetheart and faithful treasure, | |
| Be constant still, and true; | |
| Nor for want of herds and houses | 35 |
| Leave one who would ne’er leave you. | |
| I’ll pledge you the blessed Bible, | |
| Without and eke within, | |
| That the faithful God will provide for us, | |
| Without thanks to kith or kin. | 40 |
| |
| Oh, love, do you remember | |
| When we lay all night alone, | |
| Beneath the ash in the winter storm, | |
| When the oak wood round did groan? | |
| No shelter then from the storm had we, | 45 |
| The bitter blast or sleet, | |
| But your gown to wrap about our heads, | |
| And my coat round our feet. | |
