The Book of Scottish Song/Our gudeman

Our gudeman.

[Alex. Laing.]

Our gudeman's aye frae hame,
Aye frae hame, aye frae hame;
Our gudeman's aye frae hame,
Drunken doited carlie!
Yet a' the wark about the town,
Out an' in gaes brawly on,
Our Johnny's sic an unco loun,
For workin' late and early!

I fee'd the chiel' at Candlemas,
At Candlemas, at Candlemas;
I fee'd the chiel' at Candlemas,
To saw the aits and barley;
But Johnny's ready, young, an' teugh,
An' foremost aye at cart an' pleugh:
An' never thinks he works aneugh,
Though workin' late an' early.

The corbie-craw came here yestreen,
Came here yestreen, emie here yestreen,
The corbie-craw came here yestreen,
An' croaked lang and sairly,—
Oh! were he fey that's nightly fu',
Had mools an' maggots ance their due,
Our Johnny maunna ha'e to rue,
His workin' late and early.

---