A pleasant thing it is to mind
O' youfu' thoughts an' things, —
To pu' the fruit that on the tree
Of Memory ripely hings, —
To live again the happiest hours
Of happy days gane by, —
To dream again as I ha'e dreamed
When I was herdin' kye!

Thae days I thought that far awa',
Where hill and sky seem met,
The bounds o' this maist glorious earth
On mountain-taps were set, —
That sun an' moon an' blinkin' stars
Shone down frae Heaven high
To light earth's garden: sae I dream'd
When I was herdin kye!

I thought the little burnie's ran,
An' sang the while to me!
To glad me, flowers came on the earth
And leaves upon the tree, —
An' heather on the muirland grew,
An' tarns in glen's did lie:
Of beauteous things like these I dream'd
When I was herdin' kye!

Sae weel I lo'd a' things of earth! —
The trees — the buds — the flowers —
The sun — the moon — the lochs an' glens —
The spring's an' summer's hours!
A wither'd wooland twig would bring
The tears into my eye: —
Laugh on! but there are souls of love
In laddies herdin' kye!

O! weel I mind how I would muse,
And think had I the power,
How happy, happy I would make
Ilk heart the warld o'er!
The gift unendin' happiness —
The joyful giver I! —
So pure and holy were my dreams
When I was herdin' kye!

A silver stream o' purest love
Ran through my bosom then;
It yearn'd to bless all human things —
To love all living men;
Yet scornfully the thoughtless fool
Would pass the laddie by:
But, O! I bless the happy time
When I was herdin' kye!