Robert Burns: How To Know Him - BestLightNovel.com
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That Meg should be a bride the morn; Then Meg took up her spinnin' graith, [implements]
And flung them a' out o'er the burn. [across]
We will big a wee, wee house, [build]
And we will live like King and Queen, Sae blythe and merry's we will be When ye set by the wheel at e'en, [aside]
A man may drink and no be drunk; A man may fight and no be slain; A man may kiss a bonnie la.s.s, And aye be welcome back again.
THE DE'IL'S AWA WI' TH' EXCISEMAN
The De'il cam fiddling thro' the town.
And danced awa wi' th' Exciseman; And ilka wife cried 'Auld Mahoun, [every, Mahomet (Devil)]
I wish you luck o' your prize, man.'
We'll mak our maut, and we'll brew our drink, [malt]
We'll laugh, and sing, and rejoice, man; And mony braw thanks to the muckle black De'il [big]
That danced awa wi' th' Exciseman.
There's threesome reels, there's foursome reels, There's hornpipes and strathspeys, man; [dance tunes]
But the ae best dance e'er cam to the lan'. [one]
Was--_The De'il's awa wi' th' Exciseman_.
COMIN' THROUGH THE RYE
Comin' thro' the rye, poor body, Comin' thro' the rye, She draigl't a' her petticoatie, [draggled]
Comin' thro' the rye.
Gin a body meet a body [If]
Comin' thro' the rye; Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry?
Gin a body meet a body Comin' thro' the glen; Gin a body kiss a body, Need the warld ken?
O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body; [all wet]
Jenny's seldom dry; She draigl't a' her petticoatie, Comin' thro' the rye.
THE DEUK'S DANG O'ER MY DADDIE
The bairns gat out wi' an unco shout, [children, surprising]
The deuk's dang o'er my daddie, O! [duck has knocked]
The fient ma care, quo' the feirie auld wife, [devil may, l.u.s.ty]
He was but a paidlin body, O! [tottering creature]
He paidles out, and he paidles in, An' he paidles late and early, O; This seven lang years I hae lien by his side, An' he is but a fusionless carlie, O. [pithless old fellow]
O, haud your tongue, my feirie auld wife, [hold]
O, haud your tongue now, Nansie, O: I've seen the day, and sae hae ye, Ye wad na been sae donsie, O; [would not have, testy]
I've seen the day ye b.u.t.ter'd my brose, [oatmeal and hot water]
And cuddl'd me late and earlie, O; But downa-do's come o'er me now, [cannot-do is]
And, oh, I find it sairly, O! [feel it sorely]
WHA IS THAT AT MY BOWER DOOR?
'Wha is that at my bower door?'
'O wha is it but Findlay?'
'Then gae your gate, ye'se nae be here!' [go, way, shall not]
'Indeed maun I,' quo' Findlay. [must]
'What mak ye, sae like a thief?' [do]
'O, come and see,' quo' Findlay; 'Before the morn ye'll work mischief;'
'Indeed will I,' quo' Findlay.
'Gif I rise and let you in--' [If]
'Let me in,' quo' Findlay-- 'Ye'll keep me waukin wi' your din;' [awake]
'Indeed will I,' quo' Findlay.
'In my bower if ye should stay--'
'Let me stay,' quo' Findlay--, 'I fear ye'll bide till break o' day;'
'Indeed will I,' quo' Findlay.
'Here this night if ye remain--'
'I'll remain,' quo' Findlay--, 'I dread ye'll learn the gate again;' [way]
'Indeed will I,' quo' Findlay, 'What may pa.s.s within this bower--'
'Let it pa.s.s,' quo' Findlay-- 'Ye maun conceal till your last hour;' [must]
'Indeed will I,' quo' Findlay.
WILLIE'S WIFE
Willie Wastle dwalt on Tweed, The spot they ca'd it Link.u.mdoddie; Willie was a wabster guid, [weaver good]
Cou'd stown a clue wi' ony body. [have stolen]
He had a wife was dour and din, [stubborn, sallow]
O, Tinkler Madgie was her mither; [Tinker]
Sic a wife as Willie had, [Such]
I wad na gie a b.u.t.ton for her!
She has an e'e, she has but ane, [eye]
The cat has twa the very colour; Five rusty teeth, forbye a stump, [besides]
A clapper tongue wad deave a miller; [deafen]
A whiskin beard about her mou, [mouth]
Her nose and chin they threaten ither; Sic a wife as Willie had, I wad na gie a b.u.t.ton for her!
She's bow-hough'd, she's hem-s.h.i.+nn'd, [bandy, crooked]
Ae limpin leg a hand-breed shorter; [One, hand-breadth]
She's twisted right, she's twisted left, To balance fair in ilka quarter: [either]
She has a hump upon her breast, The twin o' that upon her shouther; Sic a wife as Willie had, I wad na gie a b.u.t.ton for her!
Auld baudrons by the ingle sits, [Old p.u.s.s.y, fireside]
An' wi' her loof her face a-was.h.i.+n; [palm]
But Willie's wife is nae sae trig, [trim]
She dights her grunzie wi' a hus.h.i.+on; [wipes, snout, stocking-leg]
