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The Hallow fair (2)/The Hallow fair

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3243249The Hallow fair — The Hallow FairRobert Fergusson


THE HALLOW FAIR.

There's mony bra' Jockies and Jennies,
comes weel buskit into the fair,
Wi' ribbons on their cockemonies,
and south o bra' flower in their hair;
Maggy sae brawlie was buskit,
when Jockie was ty'd to his bride,
The pownie was ne'er better whisket,
wi' a cudgel that hung by his side.
Sing fal de ral, la de.

But Willie the muirland laddie,
was mounted on a gray cowt,
Wi' his sword by his side like a cadie,
to es' in the sheep and the nowt:
Sae nicely his doublets did fit him
they scarcely cam dowa to mid-thie,
Wi' weel powder'd hair hat and feather,
wi' houzen, curple and tie.
Sing fal de ral, la de.

But Maggie grew wondrous jealous,
see Willie buskit se bra',
(illegible text) Wattie he sat in the ale house,
and hard at the bicker did ca',
Sae nicely as Maggie sat by him;
he took the pint-stoup in his arms,
Quo' he, I think they're right saucy,
that lo'es na good father's bairns.
Sing fal de ral, la de.

But now it grew late i' the eening,
and bughting time was drawing near;
The lasses had stanch'd a' their greening,
wi' south o'bra' apples and pears;
There's Tibbie and Sibbie, and Lillie,
wha weel on the spindle can spin,
Good glowring at signs and glass winnocks,
but fiend a ane bade them come in.
Sing fal de ral, la de.

(illegible text)sh guides did you e'er see the like o't,
see yonders a bonny black swan,
It looks as it fain wou'd be at us
what's yon that it has in it's han',
Twa' daft gow'k, quo' Wattie,
it's nane but a rickle o' sticks,
The hesh's the deil and Bell Hawkie,
and yonder's Mess James and Auld Nick,
Sing fal de ral, la de.

But Bruckie play'd boo to Bawsie,
and aff gaed the cowt like the win'
Poor Willie he fell i' the cawsie
and birzed a' the banes in his skin;
The pistols fell out o' the holsters,
and ware a, bedaubed wi' dirt,
The fowks ran about him in clusters,
some leugh, and said Lad are ye hurt;
fal de ral, la de.

The cowt wad let nae body near him,
he was ay sae wanton and skeegh,
The padler stanes he lap o'er them,
an' gart a' the fowk stan' abeegh;
We a' sneering behin' and before him,
for sic is the mettle o' brutes,
Poor Wattie and waes me for him,
was forc'd to gang hame in his boots.
Sing fal de ral, la de.