We ranged a" from Tweed to Spey, And lived like lords and ladies gay; For a Lalland face he feared none, My gallant braw John Highlandman.
They banish"d him beyond the sea; But ere the bud was on the tree, Adown my cheeks the pearls ran, Embracing my John Highlandman.
But och! they catch"d him at the last, And bound him in a dungeon fast; My curse upon them every one!
They"ve hang"d my braw John Highlandman.
And now a widow I must mourn The pleasures that will ne"er return; No comfort but a hearty can, When I think on John Highlandman.
Recitativo
A pigmy sc.r.a.per wi" his fiddle, Wha used to trysts an" fairs to driddle, [markets, toddle]
Her strappin" limb an" gawsie middle [buxom]
(He reach"d nae higher) Had holed his heartie like a riddle, And blawn"t on fire. [blown it]
Wi" hand on hainch, and upward e"e, [hip]
He crooned his gamut, one, two, three, Then, in an _Ario"s_ key, The wee Apollo Set aff, wi" _allegretto_ glee, His _gig_ solo.
Air
TUNE: Whistle Owre the Lave O"t
Let me tyke up to dight that tear, [reach, wipe]
And go wi" me an" be my dear, And then your every care an" fear May whistle owre the lave o"t. [rest]
CHORUS
I am a fiddler to my trade, An" a" the tunes that e"er I play"d, The sweetest still to wife or maid, Was _Whistle Owre the Lave o"t_.
At kirns and weddings we"se be there, [harvest-homes, we shall]
And oh! sae nicely"s we will fare; We"ll house about, till Daddie Care Sing _Whistle Owre the Lave o"t_.
Sae merrily the banes we"ll pyke, [pick]
An" sun oursels about the d.y.k.e, [wall]
An" at our leisure, when ye like, We"ll--whistle owre the lave o"t.
But bless me wi" your heav"n o" charms, An" while I kittle hair on thairms, [tickle, catgut]
Hunger, cauld, and a" sic harms, [such]
May whistle owre the lave o"t.
Recitativo
Her charms had struck a st.u.r.dy caird, [tinker]
As well as poor gut-sc.r.a.per; He taks the fiddler by the beard, An" draws a roosty rapier-- [rusty]
He swoor, by a" was swearing worth, To spit him like a pliver, [plover]
Unless he would from that time forth Relinquish her for ever.
Wi" ghastly e"e, poor tweedle-dee Upon his hunkers bended, [hams]
An" pray"d for grace wi" ruefu" face, An" sae the quarrel ended.
But tho" his little heart did grieve When round the tinkler prest her, He feign"d to snirtle in his sleeve, [sn.i.g.g.e.r]
When thus the caird address"d her:--
Air
TUNE: Clout the Cauldron
My bonnie la.s.s, I work in bra.s.s, A tinkler is my station; I"ve travell"d round all Christian ground In this my occupation; I"ve ta"en the gold, I"ve been enroll"d In many a n.o.ble squadron; But vain they search"d when off I march"d To go an" clout the cauldron. [patch]
Despise that shrimp, that wither"d imp, Wi" a" his noise an" caperin"; An" tak a share wi" those that bear The budget and the ap.r.o.n; [tool-bag]
And, by that stoup, my faith an" houp! [hope]
And by that dear Kilbaigie, [a kind of whisky]
If e"er ye want, or meet wi" scant, [dearth]
May I ne"er weet my craigie. [wet, throat]
Recitativo
The caird prevail"d--th" unblushing fair In his embraces sunk, Partly wi" love o"ercome sae sair, [so sorely]
An" partly she was drunk.
Sir Violino, with an air That show"d a man o" s.p.u.n.k, [spirit]
Wish"d unison between the pair, An" made the bottle clunk To their health that night.
But hurchin Cupid shot a shaft [urchin]
That play"d a dame a shavie; [trick]
The fiddler rak"d her fore and aft, Behint the chicken cavie. [hencoop]
Her lord, a wight of Homer"s craft, Tho" limpin" wi" the spavie, [spavin]
He hirpl"d up, an" lap like daft, [hobbled, leapt]
And shor"d them _Dainty Davie_ [yielded them as lovers]
O" boot that night. [gratis]
He was a care-defying blade As ever Bacchus listed; [enlisted]
Tho" Fortune sair upon him laid, His heart she ever miss"d it.
He had nae wish, but--to be glad, Nor want but--when he thirsted; He hated nought but--to be sad, And thus the Muse suggested His sang that night.
Air
TUNE: For A" That, An" A" That
I am a bard of no regard Wi" gentlefolks, and a" that; But Homer-like, the glowrin" byke, [staring crowd]
Frae town to town I draw that.
CHORUS
For a" that, an" a" that, And twice as muckle"s a" that; [much]
I"ve lost but ane, I"ve twa behin", I"ve wife eneugh for a" that.
I never drank the Muses" stank, [pond]
Castalia"s burn, an" a" that; But there it streams, an" richly reams! [foams]
My Helicon I ca" that.
Great love I bear to a" the fair, Their humble slave, an" a" that; But lordly will, I hold it still A mortal sin to thraw that. [thwart]