Haughs of Crumdel (1)/It fell upon the Martinmas time

It fell upon the Martinmas time.

It fell about the Martinmas time.
⁠and a gay time it was than
When our gudewife had puddings to mak,
⁠and she boiled them in the pan.

The wind blew cauld frae north to south
⁠and blew into the floor;
Quoth our gudeman to our gudewife,
⁠"get up and bar the door"

'My band is in my huss'fs skap
⁠gudeman, as ye may see
au it shnuldna be he barr'd this hunder year
⁠It's no be barr'd for me.

They made a paction 'tween them twa
⁠They made it firm and sure.
Wha'er should speak the foremost word
⁠would rise and bar the door.

Then by there came two gentlemen
⁠at twelve o'clock at night,
and they could neither see house nor hall
⁠Nor coal nor candle light.

Now whether is this a rich man s house,
⁠Or whether it be a poor,
But never a word wad ane o' them speak
⁠For barring o' the door.

And first they ate the white puddings,
⁠and then they ate the ⟨black⟩;
Though muckie thought the gudewife to hersel,
⁠Yet ne'er a word she spak.

Then said the one unto ⟨the⟩ other,
⁠Here, man, tak ye my knife,
Do ye tak aff the auld man's ⟨beard⟩,
⁠and ⟨I'll⟩ kiss the guidwife.

But there snae water in the house,
⁠and what shall we do than?
What aits ye at the pudding broo,
⁠That ⟨boils⟩ into the pan.

O then up started our gudeman,
⁠and an angry man was he,
Will ye kiss my wife before my een,
⁠and scad me wi’ pudding bree.

Then up and ⟨started our⟩ guidwife,
⁠Gied three skips on ⟨the⟩ floor:
Gudeman ye've spoke the foremost word,
⁠Get up and bar the door.