Robert Burns: How To Know Him Part 18

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]