Page:The Book of Scottish Song.djvu/528

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510
SCOTTISH SONGS.

An' you sall wear, when you are wed,
The kirtle an' the Heeland plaid,
An' sleep upon a heather bed,
Sae cozy an' sae canty.

If ye'll but marry me, lassie,
At the kirk o' Birniebouzle,
A' my joy shall be, lassie,
Ever to content ye.
I'll bait the line and bear the pail,
An' row the boat and spread the sail,
An' drag the larry at my tail,
When mussel hives are plenty.

Then come awa' wi' me, lassie,
To the braes o' Birniebouzle;
Bonny lassie, dear lassie,
You shall ne'er repent ye.
For you shall own a bught o' ewes,
A brace o' gaits, and byre o' cows,
An' be the lady o' my house,
An' lads an' lasses plenty.




Auld John Nicol.

[James Hogg.]

I'll sing of an auld forbear of my ain,
Tweeddlum, twaddlum, twenty-one,
A man that for fun was never outdone,
And his name it was Auld John Nicol o' Whun.
Auld John Nicol he lo'ed his glass,
Tweedlum, twaddlum, twenty-one,
An' weel he likit the toast to pass,
An' it's hey for brave John Nicol o' Whun!

Auld John Nicol gaed out to fight, &c.
But a' gaed wrang that should ha'e gane right, &c.
Then auld John Nicol kneel'd down to pray,
But never a word John Nicol could say.

Auld John Nicol he lo'ed a lass,
But I darena tell you what came to pass,
For the beadle came up in an unco haste,
An' summon'd him down to speak wi' the priest.

Then auld John Nicol he chamred his hue,
For his face it grew red, an' his face it grew blue.
John Nicol gaed out, John Nicol gaed in,
An' he wish'd he had been in the well to the chin.

"Shame fa' it!" quo' John, "I often ha'e thought
Wha wins at woman will lose at nought;
But I ha'e heart to do ill to nane,
Sae I will e'en mak' the lassie my ain."

Then Auld John Nicol he got a wife,
And he never got siccan fun in his life;—
Now, John Nicol he sings frae morn till e'en,
Tweeddlum, twaddlum, twenty-one,
The happiest man that ever was seen,
An' it's hey for brave John Nicol o' Whun!




The Ladies’ Evening Song.

[James Hogg.]

O the glass is no for you,
Bonny laddie, O!
The glass is no for you,
Bonny laddie, O!
The glass is no for you,
For it dyes your manly brow,
An' it fills you roarin' fu',
Bonny laddie, O!

Then drive us not away
Wi' your drinkin', O!
We like your presence ma!r
Than you're thinkin' O'.
How happy will you be
In our blythesome companye,
Taking innocence and glee
For your drinking, O!

Now your e'en are glancing bright,
Bonny laddie, O!
Wi' a pure an' joyfu' light,
Bonny laddie, O!
But at ten o'clock at night,
Take a lady's word in plight,
We will see another sight,
Bonny laddie, O!

There's a right path an' a wrang,
Bonny laddie, O!
An' you needna argue lang,
Bonny laddie, O!
For the mair you taste an' see
O' our harmless companye,
Aye the happier you will be,
Bonny laddie, O!