Sleepy Laddie

by Allie Windwick

Lies low the sun and shadows tall
Across the fields are creepin
And soon the big roond yella moon
Will ower the brae come peepin
Haste ye noo, lay by your barrow,
Daddy'll mend the broken wheel the morrow
Come ye in and get ye bedded doon,
It's time me lad wis sleepin.

Come put ye on your wee white goon
Afore the peat fire cheery,
We'll gang the morn intae the toon
For sweeties for my dearie
Hush ye noo and stop your sighin
Or Wee Willie Winkie'll come a-pryin
Snug ye doon, me lad, and sleep ye soond
For Mammy's sittin near ye.

He's played a day wi golden sand,
And weary is my laddie
His curly head is noddin',
and he's greetin for his Daddy.
Wheesht ye noo, my brave wee fella,
Tears'll weet your cosy cosy pillow
Close your eyes while Mother sings to ye,
My sleepy peedie laddie.

O softly, softly, ane and a’,
And gentle wi your speakin
He's turned his wee face tae the wa
And ceased his plaintive weepin
Dream ye sweet, my bonny fella,
Eyes so blue and hair sae yella yella
Hush noo, lightly let your footsteps fa,
For my wee laddie's sleepin

Words:
Afore: before
Ane and a’: one and all
Goon: nightgown
Peedie: little
The morn: tomorrow
The morrow: tomorrow
Wheesht ye: hush, be quiet, don’t cry

A 20th century lullaby from an Orcadian song-writer, who died in 1999. It appears on a CD called Orkney, Land, Sea and Community, vol.21 of the Scottish Tradition series issued on Greentrax by the School of Scottish Studies, Edinburgh.

There is an online review of that CD on: www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/orkney

It says that Allie ”worked most of his life as a linotype operator for The Orcadian” – and that the song is sung beautifully by Ingirid Jolly of the Orkney band Hullion.

Allie Windwick with fiddler Hugh Inkster recorded many of his songs in 1979 on Music From The Orkney Islands, including “Partans in His Creel” – which appears on Sheena Wellington’s CD Hamely Fare.