The Book of Scottish Song/The Auld Highlan' Piper

by Robert Burns Jr.

The Auld Highlan’ Piper.

[Said also to be a production of Robert Burns, Junior, eldest son of the poet. It is given in the "Spirit of British Song" (Glasgow, 1825,) where it is stated that it was communicated by the author, before he went to London, to a near relation residing at Mauchline, from whose recitation it was taken down for that work.]

Oh! pity an auld Highlan' piper,
An' dinna for want let him dee;
Oh! look at my faithfu' wee doggie,
The icicle hangs frae his e'e.

I ance had a weel theekit cot-house
On Morvala's sea-beaten shore;
But our laird turn'd me out frae my cot-house;
Alas! I was feckless an' puir.

My twa sons were baith press'd for sailors,
An' brave for their kintra did fa';
My auid wife she died soon o' sorrow,
An' left me bereft o' them a'.

I downa do ony sair wark,
For maist bauld is my lyart auld pow,
So I beg wi' my pipes, an' my doggie,
An' mony a place we've been through.

I set mysel' down i' the gloamin',
An' tak' my wee dog on my knee,
An' I play on my pipes wi' sad sorrow,
An' the tear trickles doun frae my e'e.

The tear trickles doun frae my e'e,
An' my heart's like to break e'en in twa,
When I think on my auld wife an' bairns,
That now are sae far far awa'.

Come in thou puir lyart auld carle,
And here nae mair ill shalt thou dree;
As lang as I'm laird o' this manor,
There's nane shall gae helpless frae me.

And ye shall get a wee cot-house,
An' ye shall get baith milk an' meal;
For he that has sent it to me,
Has sent it to use it weel.

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