The Book of Scottish Song/Bauldy Baird

Bauldy Baird.

[Air, "Donald Caird."]

Bauldy Baird's come again,
Bauldy Baird's come again,
Tell the news through brugh and glen,
Bauldy Baird's come back again!

O Bauldy Baird can buy and sell
Barrels o' herring, and lades o' meal,
Cheat till the guidman be poor,
And pouch till the guidwife look sour;
Laugh and clatter, curse and ban,
Tell a lee wi' ony man.
Tell the news to a' you ken,
That Bauldy Baird's come again.

Bauldy Baird can drink, I trow,
Till a' the bodies roun' be fou;
Ilka ane that shares his bicker,
Kens how Bauldy pays his liquor.
When your fou, he's on the catch:
He'll buy your blankets, corn, or watch.
Ye sharpers a', though London-rear'd,
Are a' but cuifs to Bauldy Baird.

Bauldy Baird can brag o' gambling,
Kens the airts o' dark dissembling.
Bauldy Baird can mak' a fen,
To cut the Jack, an' Catch-the-ten.
Farmer bodies! watch your pease,
Hide your butter, eggs, and cheese,
For whether ripe, or in the braird,
It's a' ane to Bauldy Baird.

O! close that slap there, steak that yett,
Else some stooks will tak' the gate;
For Bauldy's poney likes your grain
Just as weel as 'twere his ain:
Stooks o' corn, and sheaves o' pease;
Bees' skeps, and saugh trees:
For faith, he's no so easy scar'd,
It's a funny shot that'll hit Bauldy Baird.

On Bauldy Baird the law was vile,
To draw him on a cart to jail;
But Bauldy Baird, the pawkie deevil,
Deed he slipt the loop and left the beagle;
O'er the dike an' through the fiel's,
Bauldy ran wi' mettle heels.
Watch the corn stack, Robin Shaw,
For Bauldy Baird's run awa'.

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