Digital Tradition Mirror

Bonnie Tammy

Bonnie Tammy

     Whaur has du been a' the day,
     Bonnie Tammy, bonnie Tammy?
     Whaur has du been a' the day,
     Bonnie Tammy Skolla?

     At the back o' Staney Hool,
     Bonnie Minnie, bonnie Minnie.
     At the back o' Staney Hool
     Courtin' Betty Baulie.
     ________________________________________________________

     Saxby Shetland Trad. Lore (1932), 70, summarising the
     rest: "The grandmother (Minnie) begins a list of
     questions, such as, `What's du goin' to feed her on?'
     and Tammy replies, `White bread and mill-gruel.'  After
     a searching enquiry Granny asks: `Whaurs du goin' to set
     her doon?'  Tammy's impudent reply, `Inta Minnie's
     airmshair,' must have been very disconcerting for
     Minnie."
The tune is an adaptation of Highland Laddie.
Cf. ODNR 75 (no. 44), "Where have you been today, Billy, my
son?"; FSJ pt. 19, 117-8; the "serious" ballad of which this
is a reflex is "Lord Randal"; cf. "Bonnie Wee Croodlin Doo."

MS

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!