That Meg should be a bride the morn; Then Meg took up her spinnin" graith, [implements]
And flung them a" out o"er the burn. [across]
We will big a wee, wee house, [build]
And we will live like King and Queen, Sae blythe and merry"s we will be When ye set by the wheel at e"en, [aside]
A man may drink and no be drunk; A man may fight and no be slain; A man may kiss a bonnie la.s.s, And aye be welcome back again.
THE DE"IL"S AWA WI" TH" EXCISEMAN
The De"il cam fiddling thro" the town.
And danced awa wi" th" Exciseman; And ilka wife cried "Auld Mahoun, [every, Mahomet (Devil)]
I wish you luck o" your prize, man."
We"ll mak our maut, and we"ll brew our drink, [malt]
We"ll laugh, and sing, and rejoice, man; And mony braw thanks to the muckle black De"il [big]
That danced awa wi" th" Exciseman.
There"s threesome reels, there"s foursome reels, There"s hornpipes and strathspeys, man; [dance tunes]
But the ae best dance e"er cam to the lan". [one]
Was--_The De"il"s awa wi" th" Exciseman_.
COMIN" THROUGH THE RYE
Comin" thro" the rye, poor body, Comin" thro" the rye, She draigl"t a" her petticoatie, [draggled]
Comin" thro" the rye.
Gin a body meet a body [If]
Comin" thro" the rye; Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry?
Gin a body meet a body Comin" thro" the glen; Gin a body kiss a body, Need the warld ken?
O, Jenny"s a" weet, poor body; [all wet]
Jenny"s seldom dry; She draigl"t a" her petticoatie, Comin" thro" the rye.
THE DEUK"S DANG O"ER MY DADDIE
The bairns gat out wi" an unco shout, [children, surprising]
The deuk"s dang o"er my daddie, O! [duck has knocked]
The fient ma care, quo" the feirie auld wife, [devil may, l.u.s.ty]
He was but a paidlin body, O! [tottering creature]
He paidles out, and he paidles in, An" he paidles late and early, O; This seven lang years I hae lien by his side, An" he is but a fusionless carlie, O. [pithless old fellow]
O, haud your tongue, my feirie auld wife, [hold]
O, haud your tongue now, Nansie, O: I"ve seen the day, and sae hae ye, Ye wad na been sae donsie, O; [would not have, testy]
I"ve seen the day ye b.u.t.ter"d my brose, [oatmeal and hot water]
And cuddl"d me late and earlie, O; But downa-do"s come o"er me now, [cannot-do is]
And, oh, I find it sairly, O! [feel it sorely]
WHA IS THAT AT MY BOWER DOOR?
"Wha is that at my bower door?"
"O wha is it but Findlay?"
"Then gae your gate, ye"se nae be here!" [go, way, shall not]
"Indeed maun I," quo" Findlay. [must]
"What mak ye, sae like a thief?" [do]
"O, come and see," quo" Findlay; "Before the morn ye"ll work mischief;"
"Indeed will I," quo" Findlay.
"Gif I rise and let you in--" [If]
"Let me in," quo" Findlay-- "Ye"ll keep me waukin wi" your din;" [awake]
"Indeed will I," quo" Findlay.
"In my bower if ye should stay--"
"Let me stay," quo" Findlay--, "I fear ye"ll bide till break o" day;"
"Indeed will I," quo" Findlay.
"Here this night if ye remain--"
"I"ll remain," quo" Findlay--, "I dread ye"ll learn the gate again;" [way]
"Indeed will I," quo" Findlay, "What may pa.s.s within this bower--"
"Let it pa.s.s," quo" Findlay-- "Ye maun conceal till your last hour;" [must]
"Indeed will I," quo" Findlay.
WILLIE"S WIFE
Willie Wastle dwalt on Tweed, The spot they ca"d it Link.u.mdoddie; Willie was a wabster guid, [weaver good]
Cou"d stown a clue wi" ony body. [have stolen]
He had a wife was dour and din, [stubborn, sallow]
O, Tinkler Madgie was her mither; [Tinker]
Sic a wife as Willie had, [Such]
I wad na gie a b.u.t.ton for her!
She has an e"e, she has but ane, [eye]
The cat has twa the very colour; Five rusty teeth, forbye a stump, [besides]
A clapper tongue wad deave a miller; [deafen]
A whiskin beard about her mou, [mouth]
Her nose and chin they threaten ither; Sic a wife as Willie had, I wad na gie a b.u.t.ton for her!
She"s bow-hough"d, she"s hem-shinn"d, [bandy, crooked]
Ae limpin leg a hand-breed shorter; [One, hand-breadth]
She"s twisted right, she"s twisted left, To balance fair in ilka quarter: [either]
She has a hump upon her breast, The twin o" that upon her shouther; Sic a wife as Willie had, I wad na gie a b.u.t.ton for her!
Auld baudrons by the ingle sits, [Old p.u.s.s.y, fireside]
An" wi" her loof her face a-washin; [palm]
But Willie"s wife is nae sae trig, [trim]
She dights her grunzie wi" a hushion; [wipes, snout, stocking-leg]