Robert Burns: How To Know Him Part 13

Sleep I can get nane For thinking on my dearie.

Lanely night comes on, A' the lave are sleeping; [rest]

I think on my bonnie lad And I bleer my een with greetin'. [eyes, weeping]

WHISTLE, AND I'LL COME TO YE, MY LAD

O whistle, and I'll come to ye, my lad; O whistle, and I'll come to ye, my lad: Tho' father and mither and a' should gae mad, O whistle, and I'll come to ye, my lad.

But warily tent, when ye come to court me, [take care]

And come na unless the back-yett be a-jee; [gate, ajar]

Syne up the back-stile, and let naebody see, [then]

And come as ye were na comin' to me.

And come as ye were na comin' to me.

At kirk, or at market, whene'er ye meet me, Gang by me as tho' that ye car'd na a flee: [go, fly]

But steal me a blink o' your bonnie black e'e, [glance]

Yet look as ye were na lookin' at me.

Yet look as ye were na lookin' at me.

Aye vow and protest that ye care na for me, And whiles ye may lightly my beauty a wee; [slight]

But court na anither, tho' jokin' ye be, For fear that she wyle your fancy frae me. [beguile]

For fear that she wyle your fancy frae me.

TAM GLEN

My heart is a breaking, dear t.i.ttie, [sister]

Some counsel unto me come len', To anger them a' is a pity; But what will I do wi' Tam Glen?

I'm thinking, wi' sic a braw fellow, [fine]

In poort.i.th I might mak a fen'; [poverty, s.h.i.+ft]

What care I in riches to wallow, If I maunna marry Tam Glen? [must not]

There's Lowrie the laird o' Dumeller, 'Guid-day to you'--brute! he comes ben: He brags and he blaws o' his siller, [money]

But when will he dance like Tam Glen?

My minnie does constantly deave me, [mother, deafen]

And bids me beware o' young men; They flatter, she says, to deceive me; But wha can think sae o' Tam Glen?

My daddie says, gin I'll forsake him, [if]

He'll gie me guid hunder marks ten: [hundred]

But, if it's ordain'd I maun take him, O wha will I get but Tam Glen?

Yestreen at the Valentine's dealing, [Last night]

My heart to my mou gied a sten: [mouth gave a leap]

For thrice I drew ane without failing, And thrice it was written, 'Tam Glen.'

The last Halloween I was waukin' [watching]

My droukit sark-sleeve,[3] as ye ken; [drenched chemise]

His likeness cam up the house stalkin'-- And the very grey breeks o' Tam Glen! [trousers]

Come, counsel, dear t.i.ttle, don't tarry; I'll gie you my bonnie black hen, [give]

Gif ye will advise me to marry [If]

The lad I lo'e dearly, Tam Glen. [love]

[3] See note 17 on Halloween, p. 218.

THE RANTIN' DOG THE DADDIE O'T

O wha my babie-clouts will buy? [baby-clothes]

Wha will tent me when I cry? [care for]

Wha will kiss me whare I lie?-- The rantin' dog the daddie o't. [of it]

Wha will own he did the faut? [fault]

Wha will buy my groanin' maut? [ale for the midwife]

Wha will tell me how to ca't? [name it]

The rantin' dog the daddie o't.

When I mount the creepie-chair. [stool of repentance]

Wha will sit beside me there?

Gie me Rob, I seek nae mair,-- [Give]

The rantin' dog the daddie o't.

Wha will crack to me my lane? [chat, alone]

Wha will mak me fidgin' fain? [tingling with fondness]

Wha will kiss me o'er again?-- The rantin' dog the daddie o't.

LAST MAY A BRAW WOOER

Last May a braw wooer cam down the lang glen, [fine]

And sair wi' his love he did deave me: [sorely, deafen]

I said there was naething I hated like men-- The deuce gae wi'm to believe me, believe me, [go with him]

The deuce gae wi'm to believe me.

He spak o' the darts in my bonnie black een, And vow'd for my love he was dying; I said he might die when he liked for Jean: The Lord forgie me for lying, for lying.

The Lord forgie me for lying!

A weel-stocked mailen, himsel' for the laird, [farm]

And marriage aff-hand, were his proffers: I never loot on that I kend it, or car'd; [admitted]

But thought I might hae waur offers, waur offers, [worse]

But thought I might hae waur offers.

But what wad ye think? In a fortnight or less, The deil tak his taste to gae near her! [devil]

He up the lang loan to my black cousin Bess, [lane]

Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her, could bear her, Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her.