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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.
