Of the one I intended to take as my wife.

‘She was going to her uncle’s when a shower came on,

She went under a green bush, the shower to shun.

‘With her white apron round her, I took her for a swan

Oh Father, will I be forgiven for the loss of that swan?’

‘Oh Johnnie, my Johnnie, do not run away,

Do not leave your own country ’til your trial day.

‘Don’t leave your own country ’til your trial comes on,

For you’ll never be convicted for the loss of the swan.’

The night before Molly’s funeral, her ghost did appear,

Saying ‘Mother, dear mother, young Johnnie is clear.

‘I was going to my uncle’s, when a shower came on,

I went under a green bush, the shower to shun.

‘With my white apron round me, he took me for a swan.

Won’t you tell him he’s forgiven by his own Molly Bawn?’

All the girls of this country are all very glad

Since the pride of Glen Alla, Molly Bawn, is now dead.

And the girls of this country, put them all in a row

Molly Bawn would shine above them like a mountain of snow.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to my agent, Louise Burns at Andrew Mann. To Robin Robertson, Ana Fletcher, Clare Bullock and Suzanne Dean at Jonathan Cape. To my first readers, Sue Myers, Daniel Andrew, Anna Snow, Dannie Price, Jamie Coleman, Marina McCarron and Jil Thiers. To Maureen and Stuart Crooks for introducing me to this part of the world. To Todd Dunaway for the hare help. To Dunlachlan Cottage and Cedar Cottage in Strontian. To the Faber Academy for kickstarting the writing. To my very first reader, Andrew Furlow: everything is for you, really.

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Copyright © Kerry Andrew 2018

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First published by Jonathan Cape in 2018