Gilderoy

Originale	La versione di Sandra Kerr (quasi identica a quella di Shirley...
GILDEROY Gilderoy was a bonnie boy, Had roses to his shoon (1); His stockings were of silken soy, With garters hanging down. It was, I ween (2), a comely (3) sight To see so trim a boy; He was my jo, and heart’s delight, My handsome Gilderoy. [O, sic twa charming een he had; His breath as sweet's a rose; He never wore a Highland plaid, But costly silken clothes; He gained the love of ladies gay, Nane e'er to him was coy; Ah, wae's me! I mourn the day, For my dear Gilderoy. My Gilderoy and I were born Baith in a'e town thegether: We scant were seven years before, We 'gan to love each other, Our daddies and our mammies, they Were fill'd with meikle joy, To think upon the bridal day 'Twixt me and Gilderoy. For Gilderoy, that love of mine, Gude faith, I freely bought A wedding sark of holland fine, Wi' silken flowers wrought, And he gied me a wedding ring, Which I received with joy; Nae lad and lassie e'er could sing Like me and Gilderoy.] Wi’ meikle (4) joy we spent our prime, Till we were baith (5) sixteen; And aft we pass’d the langsome time Amang the leaves sae green; Aft on the banks we’d sit us there, And sweetly kiss and toy; Wi’ garlands gay wad deck my hair, My handsome Gilderoy. O, that he still had been content Wi’ me to lead his life; But ah, his manfu’ heart was bent To stir in feats of strife; And he in many a venturous deed His courage bald wad try, And now this gars (6) my heart to bleed For my dear Gilderoy. [And when of me his leave he took, The tears they wat mine e'e, I gave him a love-parting look, My benison gang wi' thee! " God speed thee weel, mine ain dear heart. For gane is all my joy; My heart is rent sith we maun part, My handsome Gilderoy. "] My Gilderoy baith far and near Was fear’d in ilka toun (7), And bauldly bear away the gear Of mony a lowland loun (8); Nane e’er durst (9) meet him hand to hand, He was say brave a boy; At length wi’ numbers he was ta’en My handsome Gilderoy. [The Queen of Scots possessit noucht, That my love lat me want; For cow and ewe he to me brought, And e'en when they were scant; All those did honestly possess, He never did annoy, Who never failed to pay their cess To my love Gilderoy. Wae worth the loun that made the laws To hang a man for gear! To reave of life, for ox or ass, For sheep, or horse, or mear. Had not their laws been made so strict I ne'er had lost my joy; Wi' sorrow ne'er had wat my cheek, For my dear Gilderoy. Gif Gilderoy had done amiss, He micht have banish'd been; Ah, what sair cruelty is this, To hang sic handsome men! To hang the flower o' Scottish land, Sae sweet and fair a boy! Nae lady had sae white a hand As thee, my Gilderoy!] Of Gilderoy sae fear’d they were, They bound him meikle strong; Till Edinburgh they led him there, And on a gallows hung; They hung him high abune the rest, He was sae trim a boy; There died the youth whom I loved best, My handsome Gilderoy. Thus having yielded up his breath, I bore his corpse away; Wi’ tears that trickled for his death, I washed his comely clay; And siccar (10) in a grave sae deep, I laid the dear loved boy; And now for ever maun I weep For winsome (11) Gilderoy.	GILDEROY Now Gilderoy was as bonny a boy as Scotland ever bred, He'd knots of ribbons on his shoes and a scarlet cloak so red. He was beloved by the ladies all; he was such a rakish boy But he was my sovereign heart's delight, my handsome Gilderoy. Now Gilderoy and I was born both in one town together And not past seven years of age that we did love each other. Our dads and mothers did agree and crowned with mirth and joy To think upon the bridal day 'twixt me and Gilderoy. Now Gilderoy and I walked out when we were both fifteen And gently he did lay me down among the leaves so green. When he had done what he could do he rose and went away; He was my sovereign heart's delight, my handsome Gilderoy. Now what a pity, a man be hanged for stealing a woman there For he stole neither house nor land, nor stole neither horse nor mare. Yet none dare meet him face to face, he was such a rakish boy, At length with numbers he was taken, my handsome Gilderoy. Now Gilderoy is in Edinburgh Town; it's long ere I was there, They hanged him on the gallows high and he wagged in the air. His relics they were more esteemed than Hector's were at Troy, I never loved to see the face that gazed on Gilderoy. Now Gilderoy is dead and gone, and how then shall I live? With a brace of pistols at my side, I'll guard his lonely grave. They hanged him on the gallows high for being such a rakish boy, But he was my sovereign heart's delight, my handsome Gilderoy.
(1) shoon = shoes il verso è un po’ strano (altrove è scritto come “His breath was sweet as rose”). Letteralmente si traduce con “aveva le rose sulle scarpe”. Nelle versioni inglesi si riporta come “He’d knots of ribbons on his shoes” (2) to think (3) comely = attractive (4) mickle, muckle – much, great (5) baith = both (6) gars, maks = to make (7) toon = town ma qui si intende le farmertoon scozzesi (8) loon = peasant (9) durst = dare (10) siccar = safely (11) winsome = charming