Poems And Songs Of Robert Burns Part 114

Fragment.--The Wren's Nest

The Robin to the Wren's nest Cam keekin' in, cam keekin' in; O weel's me on your auld pow, Wad ye be in, wad ye be in?

Thou's ne'er get leave to lie without, And I within, and I within, Sae lang's I hae an auld clout To rowe ye in, to rowe ye in.

News, La.s.sies, News

There's news, la.s.sies, news, Gude news I've to tell!

There's a boatfu' o' lads Come to our town to sell.

Chorus--The wean wants a cradle, And the cradle wants a cod: I'll no gang to my bed, Until I get a nod.

Father, quo' she, Mither, quo she, Do what you can, I'll no gang to my bed, Until I get a man.

The wean, &c.

I hae as gude a craft rig As made o'yird and stane; And waly fa' the ley-c.r.a.p, For I maun till'd again.

The wean, &c.

Crowdie Ever Mair

O that I had ne'er been married, I wad never had nae care, Now I've gotten wife an' weans, An' they cry "Crowdie" evermair.

Chorus--Ance crowdie, twice crowdie, Three times crowdie in a day Gin ye crowdie ony mair, Ye'll crowdie a' my meal away.

Waefu' Want and Hunger fley me, Glowrin' by the hallan en'; Sair I fecht them at the door, But aye I'm eerie they come ben.

Ance crowdie, &c.

Mally's Meek, Mally's Sweet

Chorus--Mally's meek, Mally's sweet, Mally's modest and discreet; Mally's rare, Mally's fair, Mally's every way complete.

As I was walking up the street, A barefit maid I chanc'd to meet; But O the road was very hard For that fair maiden's tender feet.

Mally's meek, &c.

It were mair meet that those fine feet Were weel laced up in silken shoon; An' 'twere more fit that she should sit Within yon chariot gilt aboon, Mally's meek, &c.

Her yellow hair, beyond compare, Comes trinklin down her swan-like neck, And her two eyes, like stars in skies, Would keep a sinking ship frae wreck, Mally's meek, &c.

Jockey's Taen The Parting Kiss

Air--"Bonie la.s.s tak a man."

Jockey's taen the parting kiss, O'er the mountains he is gane, And with him is a' my bliss, Nought but griefs with me remain, Spare my Love, ye winds that blaw, Plashy sleets and beating rain!

Spare my Love, thou feath'ry snaw, Drifting o'er the frozen plain!

When the shades of evening creep O'er the day's fair, gladsome e'e, Sound and safely may he sleep, Sweetly blythe his waukening be.

He will think on her he loves, Fondly he'll repeat her name; For where'er he distant roves, Jockey's heart is still the same.

Verses To Collector Mitch.e.l.l

Friend of the Poet, tried and leal, Wha, wanting thee, might beg or steal; Alake, alake, the meikle deil Wi' a' his witches Are at it skelpin jig and reel, In my poor pouches?

I modestly fu' fain wad hint it, That One--pound--one, I sairly want it; If wi' the hizzie down ye sent it, It would be kind; And while my heart wi' life-blood dunted, I'd bear't in mind.

So may the Auld year gang out moanin'

To see the New come laden, groanin', Wi' double plenty o'er the loanin', To thee and thine: Domestic peace and comforts crownin'

The hale design.

Postscript

Ye've heard this while how I've been lickit, And by fell Death was nearly nickit; Grim loon! he got me by the f.e.c.ket, And sair me sheuk; But by gude luck I lap a wicket, And turn'd a neuk.

But by that health, I've got a share o't, But by that life, I'm promis'd mair o't, My hale and wee, I'll tak a care o't, A tentier way; Then farewell folly, hide and hair o't, For ance and aye!

1796

The Dean Of Faculty

A New Ballad Tune--"The Dragon of Wantley."

Dire was the hate at old Harlaw, That Scot to Scot did carry; And dire the discord Langside saw For beauteous, hapless Mary: But Scot to Scot ne'er met so hot, Or were more in fury seen, Sir, Than 'twixt Hal and Bob for the famous job, Who should be the Faculty's Dean, Sir.