( 78 )
THE PLOUGHMAN.
| An old song. A purified version will be found in Herd (Vol. II., p. 144). William Scott Douglas prints another version in his Kilmarnock edition (Vol. I., p. 222). The parable of the "three owsen," begun in the fourth stanza, is found in the "Auld White Nag," a licentious ditty current in Ayrshire to this day, the "owsen" being changed into "pownies." It also is evidently old.
"Then he drew out his horses which were in number three, |
The ploughman he's a bonny lad,
His mind is ever true, jo,
His garters knit below his knee.
His bonnet it is blue, jo.
Then up wi't a', my ploughman lad,
And hey my merry ploughman.
Of a' the trades that I do ken,
Commend me to the ploughman.
As walking forth upon a day,
I met a jolly ploughman.
I told him I had lands to plough,
If he wad prove a true man.
He says, my dear, take ye nae fear,
I'll fit ye to a hair, jo,
I'll cleave it up, and hit it down,
And water-furrow' t fair, jo.
I hae three owsen in my plough.
Three better ne'er plough'd ground, 3jo;
The foremost ox is lang and sma',
And twa are plump and round, jo.
