Tak your auld cloak about ye (3)/Tak Your Auld Cloak About Ye

TAK YOUR AULD CLOAK ABOUT YE.

—

In winter when the rain rain'd cauld,
And frost and snaw on ilka hill,
And Boreas, wi’ bis blasts sae bauld,
Was threat’ning a’ our kye to kill:
Then Bell, my wife, wha loves nae strife,
She said to me, right hastily,
Get up, gudeman! save Crummy’s life,
And tak’ your auld cloak about ye!

My Crummy is an usefu’ cow,
{{em}And she is come of a good kin’;
Aft has she wet the bairns’s moa’,
And I am laith that she should tine,
Get up, gudeman t it is fn’ time,
The sun shines i' the lift sae hie;
Sloth never made a gracious erft!,
Gae, tak’ your auld cloak about ye.

My cloak was once a gude grey cloak,
When it was fitting for my wear,
But now it s scanty worth a groat,
For I hae worn t this thirty year.
Let's spend the gear that we hae worn,
We little ken the day we’ll hae;
Then I'll be proud, wife I hae sworn;
To hae a new cloak about me.

In days when our-king Robert rang;
His trews they cost but half-a-crown;
He said they were a groat owre dear,
An' ca'd the tailor thief and loun.
. He was the king that wore a crown,
And thou'rt a man o' low degree;
It's pride puts a' the country down,
Sae tak' your auld cloak about ye.

Ev'ry land has its ain laugh,
Ilk kind of' corn has its ain hool;
I think the world is a' run wrang,
When ilka wife her man wad rule.
Do you not see Bob, Jock, and Hab,
How they are girded gallantly,
While I sit hurklin in the ase?
I'll hae a new cloak about me!

Gudeman! I wat 'tis thirty year,
Sin' we did ane anither ken;
And we hae had, atween us twa,
O'lads and bonny lasses ten:
Now they are women grown and men,
I wish and pray weel may they be;
And if you prove a good husband,
E'en tak' your auld cloak about ye,

Bell, my wife, she lo'es nae strife,
But she wad guide me if she can;
And to maintain an easy life,
I aft man yield, tho' I'm gudeman.
Nought's to be won at woman's hand,
Unless ye gie her a' the plea;
Then I'll leave aff whare I began,
And tak my auld cloak about me.