Robin and Makyne
Preserved but no longer current.
An ancient Scottish pas- toral. Robin is a shepherd for whom Makyne sighs. She goes to him and tells her love, but Robin turns a deaf ear, and the damsel goes home to weep. After a time the tables are turned, and Robin goes to Makyne to plead for her heart and hand; but the damsel replies — The man that will not when he may Sail have nocht when he wald.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Robin and Makyne” mean?
An ancient Scottish pas- toral. Robin is a shepherd for whom Makyne sighs. She goes to him and tells her love, but Robin turns a deaf ear, and the damsel goes home to weep. After a time the tables are turned, and Robin goes to Makyne to plead for her heart and hand; but the damsel replies — The man that will not when he may Sail have nocht when he wald.
Is “Robin and Makyne” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.