Lass wi' the twa-handed wheel/The Rambling Boy

THE RAMBLING BOY.

I was a rake and a rambling boy,
both free from toil and care;
The lasses all admired me,
as I rov’d from fair to fair:
The lasses they admired me,
as I rov’d from town to town;
But now I’m married to a wife,
and the world’s turn’d upside-down.

As I went out one May-morning,
to rake and make some hay,
I met with an old acquaintance,
which caused me to stay;
We had not drank a gill but one,
till my wife came to the town;
To scold and brawl she did begin,
and the world turn’d upside-down.

Come sit you down my loving wife,
there’s nothing we have got here
Like thunder in the element
she rattled in my ears!
And the gill stoup she did take up,
saying, she would crack my crown,
Which makes the matter ten times worse,
and the world’s turn’d upside-down.

As I went out in a morning clear,
I met with Grannywell,
With her I set me down a while,
to tell my doleful tale;
Then Grannie she made this reply,
with a dark and dismal frown,
Why did you not her sides well beast,
and turn her upside-down?

Then I went home to my loving wife,
she began to scold and brawl,
I took old Grannie’s good advice,
and her sides I did well maul;
From that to this she’s as good a wife
as ever comes to town;
From her I ne’er had a word of strife,
since I turn’d her upside-down.