Anonymous British

As I ganged by the Luckenbooths

As I ganged by the Luckenbooths I saw a lady fair, She had lang pendles in her ears and jewels in her hair, And when she cam tae oor hoose she spiered at wha was ben, "O hae ye seen my lost love, wi his braw Hieland men? " The smile about her bonny face was sweeter than the bee, Her voice was like the lintie's sang aboon the birken tree, But when the minister cam oot her mare began tae prance, And rade intae the sunset - beyont the coast o France. The Luckenbooths were a row of shops in the High Street in Edinburgh. pendles - earrings spiered - asked ben - indoors lintie - linnet birken - birch The last line is very odd. How can the sun set in the direction of the French coast when seen from Edinburgh? The fact that the lady could not face the minister suggests there was something magic about her.