The women of Barra sing this waulking songin the course
of shrinking a web of cloth:"Ho,
my sweetheart! Hey, my sweetheart!
Hey!, my sweetheart is the new one!
"Cries my sweetheart Gille Callum,
"Steersman of the 'Oak' am I"He,
mo leannan, seaman daring,
climbeth to the mast top highRunning upsea to the windward,
running down with a sidelieSweetheart mine,
the youthful frolic, hard should I his love put by.
Ho! Mo leannan. He! Mo leannan.
'Se mo leannan am fear ur.
Sorrow take them, those young sweethearts,
Some of them are shy and slyOthers come with clank
and music, full of luring while we're nighI advise
you, all young lasses, keep three sweethearts in your
eyeAnd if one of them forsake you, two for you still hopeful sigh.