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]

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