“Oft hae I played at the cards and dice
Wi' my ain dear rantin laddie,
But noo I maun sit in my faither's ha'
And sing ba to my bastard baby.

“If I'd been wise as I've been nice,
And done what my bonnie lad tauld me,
I'd ha been married a year or mair
And been wi' my rantin' laddie.

“My faither dear, he knows me not,
An' my mither she ignores me;
My friends and relations a' slight me
And the servants they quite hate me.

“Gin I had ane horse at my command
As oft times I've had mony,
I would ride it on to the gates o' Aboyne
Wi' a letter to my rantin' laddie.”

“Is your love a laird or is he a lord
Or is he but a caddie,
That ye sae aft ca' on his name,
Your ain dear raintin' laddie?”

Then oot an spak' a kitchie boy,
Says, “Though I'm but a caddie,
It's I will run to the gates o' Aboyne,
Wi' a letter for your rantin' laddie.”

When he was near the banks o' Dee,
The birds they sang sae bonny,
And there he spied the Earl o' Aboyne
That they ca' the rantin' laddie.

And when he looked the letter on,
But O, and he was sorry,
“They've been cruel and fell unkind
Tae my ain dear rantin' lassie.”

“My faither dear, he knows me not,
An' my mither she ignores me;
My friends and relations a' slight me
And the servants they quite hate me.”

“Gae get to me five hundred men
And they'll ride oot sae bonny,
And we'll bring the bonnie lassie back to Aboyne,
My ain dear rantin' lassie.”

When she was up ahint his back,
Wrapped in a hielan' plaidie,
The birds in the trees sang sae sweet
As the bonnie bonnie rantin' lassie.

And they rode on throgh Buchanshire
And Buchan it shone bonnie.
“Rejoice, rejoice, ye bonnie mays
And see that ye be na' sorry.”

Gin ye lay your love on a lowland lad
Be sure that he'll betray ye,
But lay your love on a hielan' lad
He'll do a' he can to raise ye.