Tak your auld cloak about ye (2)/Tak Your Auld Cloak About Ye

TAK YOUR AULD CLOAK ABOUT YE.

In winter when the rain rain'd cauld,
And frost and snaw on ilka hill,
And Boreas, wi' his blast sae bauld,
Was threat'ning a' our kye to kill;
Then Bell, my wife, wha loes na ⟨strife⟩
She said to me right hastilie,
Get up, goodman, save Crumie's life
And tak your auld cloak about ye.

My Crumie is a usefu' cow,
And she is come of a good kin';
Aft has she wet the bairns' mou,
And I am laith that she should ty
Get up, goodman, it is fu' time,
The sun shines frae the lift sae hie
Sloth never made a gracious end,
Go tak your auld cloak about ye.

My cloak was ance a good grey ⟨cloak⟩
When it was fitting for my wear;
But now its scantly worth a groat,
For I hae worn't this thretty year
Let's spend the gear that we hae won,
We little ken the day we'll die;
⟨Then⟩ I'll be proud, since I hae sworn
To hae a new cloak about me.

⟨In⟩ days when our King Robert rang,
His trews they cost but half a crown;
⟨He⟩ said they were a groat owre dear,
And ca'd the taylor thief and loon:
⟨He⟩ was the king that wore a crown,
And thou'rt a man of laigh degree;
⟨'Tis⟩ pride puts a' the country down,
Sae tak your auld cloak about ye.

⟨Every⟩ land has its ain laugh,
Ilk kind of corn has its ain hool;
⟨I⟩ think the warld is a' gaun daft,
When ilka wife her man wad rule.
Do ye not see Rob, Jock, and Hab,
How they are girded gallantlie,
While I sit hurklen in the ase;
I'll hae a new cloak about me.

⟨Goodman⟩, I wat 'tis thretty years
Since we did ane anither ken;
⟨And⟩ we hae had atween us twa,
O'lads and bonny lasses ten:
Now they are women grown and men,
I wish and pray weel may they be;
And why will thou thysell misken?
E'en tak your auld cloak about ye.

Bell, my wife, she loes na strife,
But she was guide me, if she can,
And to maintain an easy life,
I aft maun yield, tho' I'm goodman:
Nought's to be won at woman's hand,
Unless ye gie her a' the plea;
Sae I leave aft whar I began,
And tak my auld cloak about me.