North country lass/The Humble Beggar

The HUMBLE BEGGAR.

IN Scotland there lived a humble beggar,
He had neither house, nor hauld, nor hame,
But he was well liked by ilka bodie,
And they gae him sunkets to rax his wame.

A nivesow of meal, and a handsow of groats,
A dad of bannock or herring brie,
Cauld paradge, or the lickings of plates,
Wad make him blythe as a beggar could be.

This beggar he was a humble beggar,
The feint a bit of pride had he,
He wad ta’en his a’ms in a bikker,
Frae gentlemen, or poor bodie.

His wallets ahint and afore did hang,
In as good order as wallets could be,
A lang kail-gully hang down by his side.
And a meikle nout horn to rout on had he.

It happen’d ill, it happen’d warse,
It happen’d fae, that he did die,
And wha do ye think was at his late-wake,
But lads and lasses of high degree.

Some were blythe, and some were sad.
And some they play’d at Blind Harrie,
But suddenly up started the auld carle,
I redd ye good folks tak tent o’ me.

Up gat Kate that fat i’ the nook,
Vow kimmer, and how do ye;
Up he gat, and ca’d her a limmer,
And ruggit and tuggit her cockernonie.

They houkit his grave in Duket’s kirk-yard,
E’en far frae the companie;
But when they were gaun to lay him i’ the yird,
The feint a dead nor dead was he.

And when they brought him to Duket’s kirk-yard,
He dunted on the kist, the broads did flie,
And when they were gaun to put him i’ the yird.
In fell the kist, and out lap he.

He cry’d, I’m cauld, I’m unca cauld,
Fu’ fast ran the fo’k, and fu’ fast ran he:
But he was first hame at his ain ingle side,
And he helped to drink his ain dirgie.