Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 728 pages of information about Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 3.

Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 728 pages of information about Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 3.

     And there will be auld Widow Martin,
       That ca’s hersel thritty and twa! 
     And thraw-gabbit Madge, wha for certain
       Was jilted by Hab o’ the Shaw.

     And Elspy the sewster sae genty,
       A pattern of havens and sense. 
     Will straik on her mittens sae dainty,
       And crack wi’ Mess John i’ the spence.

     And Angus, the seer o’ ferlies,
       That sits on the stane at his door,
     And tells about bogles, and mair lies
       Than tongue ever utter’d before.

     And there will be Bauldy the boaster
       Sae ready wi’ hands and wi’ tongue;
     Proud Paty and silly Sam Foster,
       Wha quarrel wi’ auld and wi’ young: 

     And Hugh the town-writer, I’m thinking,
       That trades in his lawerly skill,
     Will egg on the fighting and drinking
       To bring after-grist to his mill;

     And Maggy—­na, na! we’ll be civil,
       And let the wee bridie a-be;
     A vilipend tongue is the devil,
       And ne’er was encouraged by me.

     Then fy, let us a’ to the wedding,
       For they will be lilting there
     Frae mony a far-distant ha’ding,
       The fun and the feasting to share.

     For they will get sheep’s head, and haggis,
       And browst o’ the barley-mow;
     E’en he that comes latest, and lag is,
       May feast upon dainties enow.

     Veal florentines in the o’en baken,
       Weel plenish’d wi’ raisins and fat;
     Beef, mutton, and chuckies, a’ taken
       Het reeking frae spit and frae pat: 

     And glasses (I trow ‘tis na’ said ill),
       To drink the young couple good luck,
     Weel fill’d wi’ a braw beechen ladle
       Frae punch-bowl as big as Dumbuck.

     And then will come dancing and daffing,
       And reelin’ and crossin’ o’ hans,
     Till even auld Lucky is laughing,
       As back by the aumry she stans.

     Sic bobbing and flinging and whirling,
       While fiddlers are making their din;
     And pipers are droning and skirling
       As loud as the roar o’ the lin.

Then fy, let us a’ to the wedding,
For they will be lilting there,
For Jock’s to be married to Maggy,
The lass wi’ the gowden hair.

THE WEARY PUND O’ TOW

A young gudewife is in my house
And thrifty means to be,
But aye she’s runnin’ to the town
Some ferlie there to see. 
The weary pund, the weary pund, the weary pund o’ tow,
I soothly think, ere it be spun, I’ll wear a lyart pow.

And when she sets her to her wheel
To draw her threads wi’ care,
In comes the chapman wi’ his gear,
And she can spin nae mair. 
The weary pund, etc.

And she, like ony merry may,
At fairs maun still be seen,
At kirkyard preachings near the tent,
At dances on the green. 
The weary pund, etc.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 3 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.