The Gaberlunzie Man
1
The pawky auld carle came o'er the lea,
Wi' many good e'ens and days to me,
Saying: "Goodwife, for your courtesie,
Will you lodge a silly poor man?'
The night was cauld, the carle was wat;
And down ayont the ingle he sat;
My daughter's shoulders he 'gan to clap,
And cadgily ranted and sang.
2
"O wow!' quo' he, "were I as free
As first when I saw this countrie,
How blythe and merry wad I be!
And I wad never think lang.'
He grew canty, and she grew fain,
But little did her auld minny ken
What thir slee twa thegither were say'ng,
When wooing they were sae thrang.
3
"And O,' quo' he, "an ye were as black
As e'er the crown of my daddy's hat,
'Tis I wad lay thee by my back,
And awa' wi' me thou shou'd gang.'
"And O', quo' she, "an I were as white
As e'er the snaw lay on the dike,
I'd cleed me braw and ladylike,
And awa' wi' thee I wad gang.'
4
Between the twa was made a plot
They rose a wee before the cock,
And wilily they shot the lock,
And fast to the bent are they gane.
Up in the morn the auld wife rase,
And at her leisure put on her claise;
Syne to the servant's bed she gaes,
To speer for the silly poor man.
5
She gaed to the bed where the beggar lay;
The strae was cauld, he was away,
She clapt her hands, cry'd: "Waladay,
For some of our gear will be gane!'
Some ran to coffer and some to kist,
But nought was stown that cou'd be mist;
She danc'd her lane, cry'd: "Praise be blest,
I have lodg'd a leal poor man!
6
"Since naething's awa', as we can learn,
The kirn's to kirn, and the milk to earn,
Gae but the house, lass, and waken my bairn,
And bid her come quickly ben.'
The servant ga'ed where the daughter lay,
The sheets were cauld, she was away,
And fast to her goodwife did say:
"She's aff with the gaberlunzie man.'
7
"O fy gar ride, and fy gar rin,
And haste ye find these traitors again;
For she's be burnt and he's be slain,
The wearifu' gaberlunzie man.'
Some rade upo' horse, some ran a-fit,
The wife was mad, and out o' her wit,
She cou'd na gang, nor yet cou'd she sit,
But she curs'd ay, and she bann'd.
8
Meantime far 'hind out o'er the lea,
Fu' snug in a glen, where nane cou'd see,
The twa, with kindly sport and glee,
Cut fro a new cheese a whang:
The priving was good, it pleas'd them baith,
To lo'e her for ay, he gae her his aith.
Quo' she: "To leave thee I will be laith,
My winsome gaberlunzie man.
9
"O kenned my minny I were wi' you,
Ill-faurdly wad she crook her mou';
Sic a poor man she'd never trew,
After the gaberlunzie man.'
"My dear,' quo' he, "ye're yet o'er young,
And hae na learn'd the beggars' tongue,
To follow me frae town to town,
And carry the gaberlunzie on.'
10
"Wi' cauk and keel I'll win your bread,
And spindles and whorles for them wha need
Whilk is a gentle trade indeed,
To carry the gaberlunzie on.
I'll bow my leg, and crook my knee,
And draw a black clout o'er my e'e;
A cripple or blind they will ca' me,
While we shall be merry and sing.'
The pawky auld carle came o'er the lea,
Wi' many good e'ens and days to me,
Saying: "Goodwife, for your courtesie,
Will you lodge a silly poor man?'
The night was cauld, the carle was wat;
And down ayont the ingle he sat;
My daughter's shoulders he 'gan to clap,
And cadgily ranted and sang.
2
"O wow!' quo' he, "were I as free
As first when I saw this countrie,
How blythe and merry wad I be!
And I wad never think lang.'
He grew canty, and she grew fain,
But little did her auld minny ken
What thir slee twa thegither were say'ng,
When wooing they were sae thrang.
3
"And O,' quo' he, "an ye were as black
As e'er the crown of my daddy's hat,
'Tis I wad lay thee by my back,
And awa' wi' me thou shou'd gang.'
"And O', quo' she, "an I were as white
As e'er the snaw lay on the dike,
I'd cleed me braw and ladylike,
And awa' wi' thee I wad gang.'
4
Between the twa was made a plot
They rose a wee before the cock,
And wilily they shot the lock,
And fast to the bent are they gane.
Up in the morn the auld wife rase,
And at her leisure put on her claise;
Syne to the servant's bed she gaes,
To speer for the silly poor man.
5
She gaed to the bed where the beggar lay;
The strae was cauld, he was away,
She clapt her hands, cry'd: "Waladay,
For some of our gear will be gane!'
Some ran to coffer and some to kist,
But nought was stown that cou'd be mist;
She danc'd her lane, cry'd: "Praise be blest,
I have lodg'd a leal poor man!
6
"Since naething's awa', as we can learn,
The kirn's to kirn, and the milk to earn,
Gae but the house, lass, and waken my bairn,
And bid her come quickly ben.'
The servant ga'ed where the daughter lay,
The sheets were cauld, she was away,
And fast to her goodwife did say:
"She's aff with the gaberlunzie man.'
7
"O fy gar ride, and fy gar rin,
And haste ye find these traitors again;
For she's be burnt and he's be slain,
The wearifu' gaberlunzie man.'
Some rade upo' horse, some ran a-fit,
The wife was mad, and out o' her wit,
She cou'd na gang, nor yet cou'd she sit,
But she curs'd ay, and she bann'd.
8
Meantime far 'hind out o'er the lea,
Fu' snug in a glen, where nane cou'd see,
The twa, with kindly sport and glee,
Cut fro a new cheese a whang:
The priving was good, it pleas'd them baith,
To lo'e her for ay, he gae her his aith.
Quo' she: "To leave thee I will be laith,
My winsome gaberlunzie man.
9
"O kenned my minny I were wi' you,
Ill-faurdly wad she crook her mou';
Sic a poor man she'd never trew,
After the gaberlunzie man.'
"My dear,' quo' he, "ye're yet o'er young,
And hae na learn'd the beggars' tongue,
To follow me frae town to town,
And carry the gaberlunzie on.'
10
"Wi' cauk and keel I'll win your bread,
And spindles and whorles for them wha need
Whilk is a gentle trade indeed,
To carry the gaberlunzie on.
I'll bow my leg, and crook my knee,
And draw a black clout o'er my e'e;
A cripple or blind they will ca' me,
While we shall be merry and sing.'
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