Old Maids/Nancy’s to the Greenwood Gane
NANCY'S TO THE GREENWOOD GANE.
Nancy's to the greenwood gane,
To hear the gowdspink chatt'ring;
And Willie he has followed her,
To gain her love by flatt'ring.
But a' that he could say or do,
She geck'd and scorn'd ai him;
And aye when he began to woo,
She bid him mind wha gat him.
What ails ye at my dad, quath he,
My winny or my aunty?
With croudy-mowny they fed m,
Lang-kail and ranty-tanty;
With bannocks o' gude barley-meal,,
Of thae there was right plenty,
With chopped stocks fu' butter'd weel,
And was not that right dainty.
Although my father was nae laird,
('Tis daffin' to be vaunty,)
He keepit aye a gude kail-yard,
A ha' house and a patry:
A gude blue bonnet on his head,
Aud o'erlay 'bout his craggy,
And aye untill the day he died.
He rade on good shanks naggy.
Now wae and wonder on your snout,
Wad ye bae bonny Nancy;
Wad ye compare yoursel' to me,
A docken till a tansy?
I have a wooer o' mine ain,
They ca' him supple Sandy;
And well I wat his bonny mou
Is sweet like sugar-candy.
Now Nancy what needs a' this din,
Do I not ken this Sandy?
I'm sure the chill of a' his kin
Was Rob the beggar randy.
His minny Meg, upon her back,
Bare baith him and his billy;
Will ye compare a nasty pack,
To me your winsome Willie?
My gutebard lea'd a gude braid sword,
Though it be auld and rusty.
Yet, ye may tak it on nay word,
It is baith stout and trusty:
And if I can but get it drawn,
(Which will be right uneasy,)
I shall lay baith my lugs in pawn
That he shall get a heezy.—
Then Nancy turned her round about,
And said did Sandy hear ye,
Ye wadna miss to get a clout,
I ken he disna fear ye.
Sae haud your tongue and say nae mair,
Set somewhere else your fancy,
For as lang's Sandy's to the fore,
Ye never shall get Nancy.