The Book of Scottish Song/The Wee Auld Man

The Wee Auld Man.

[Henry S. Riddell.—First published in the Portfolio of British Songs. The air is an old reel tune, originally called "The Drummer," but now better known by the name of "The Tailor," for which Burns wrote some words, with the burthen, "For weel he kenn'd the way, O."]

About the closin' o' the day,
The wild green woods amang, O,
A wee auld man cam' doon this way,
As fast as he could gang, O.
He entered into this wee house,
Where unco weel kent he, O,
That there, there lived a virtuous lass,
And fair as fair could be O.
For he had vow'd to ha'e, O,
To ha'e, O, to ha'e, O,
For he had vow'd to ha'e, O,
A wifie o' his ain, O.

He tell't the auld gudewife he'd come
Her dochter Jean to woo, O,
And gin she would but come wi' him,
She never would it rue, O.
For he had oxen, horse, and kye,
And sheep upon the hill, O,
And monie a cannie thing forbye,
That should be at her will, O.
For he had vow'd, &c.

The auld gudewife replied in turn.
Up rising frae her stool, O,
The lass that would your proffer spurn,
Would surely be a fool, O.
She to the door made anxious haste,
And ca'd young Jeanie in, O,
And when aroun' the fire they're placed,
The courtin' did begin, O.
For he had vow'd, &c.

The wee auld man tauld ower his tale
Wi' croose and cantie glee, O;
But Jeanie's heart was hard and cauld,
Nae love for him had she, O.
Said she, Auld gouk! you've act a part
That I can ne'er be thine, O;
You come to woo my mither's heart,
You come nae here for mine, O.
For this is no the way, O,
The way, O, the way, O,
For this is no the way, O,
A lassie's heart to win, O.

And soon a rap came to the door,
And out young Jeanie ran, O,
Said she, You may count ower your store
Wi' them that you began, O.
The wee auld man rose up in Wrath,
And loud and lang he swore, O,
Syne hirsled up his shouthers baith,
And hasten'd to the door, O.
Still vowin' he would ha'e, O, &c.

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