Last May A Braw Wooer

1.
Last May a braw wooer cam down the lang glen,
And sair wi' his love he did deave me.
I said there was naething I hated like men:
The deuce gae wi' him to believe me, believe me -
The deuce gae wi' him to believe me!
2.
He spak o' the darts in my bonie black een,
And vow'd for my love he was diein.
I said, he might die when he liket for Jean:
The Lord forgie me for liein, for liein -
The Lord forgie me for liein!
3.
A weel-stocket mailen, himsel for the laird,
And marriage aff-hand were his proffers:
I never loot on that I kenn'd it, or car'd,
But thought I might hae waur offers, waur offers -
But thought I might hae waur offers.
4.
But what wad ye think? In a fortnight or less
(The Deil tak his taste to gae near her!)
He up the Gate-Slack to my black cousin, Bess!
Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her,
could bear her -
Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her.
5.
But a' the niest week, as I petted wi' care,
I gaed to the tryst o' Dalgarnock,
And wha but my fine fickle lover was there?
I glower'd as I'd seen a warlock, a warlock -
I glower'd as I'd seen a warlock.
6.
But owre my left shouther I gae him a blink,
Lest neebours might say I was saucy.
My wooer he caper'd as he'd been in drink,
And vow'd I was his dear lassie, dear lassie -
And vow'd I was his dear lassie!
7.
I spier'd for my cousin fu' couthy and sweet:
Gin she had recover'd her hearin?
And how her new shoon fit her auld, shachl'd feet?
But heavens! how he fell a swearin, a swearin -
But heavens! how he fell a swearin!
8.
He begged, for gudesake, I wad be his wife,
Or else I wad kill him wi' sorrow;
So e'en to preserve the poor body in life,
I think I maun wed him to-morrow, to-morrow -
I think I maun wed him to-morrow!

Last Ma y A Handsome Wooer


Last May a handsome wooer came down the long glen,
And sore with his love he did deafen me.
I said there was nothing I hated like men:
The devil go with him to believe me, believe me -
The devil go with him to believe me!

He spoke of the darts in my lovely black eyes,
And vowed for my love he was dying.
I said, he might die when he liked for Jean:
The Lord forgive me for lying, for lying -
The Lord forgive me for lying!

A well-stocked farm, himself for the laird (landlord),
And marriage off-hand were his proffers:
I never let on that I knew it, or cared,
But thought I might have worse offers, worse offers -
But thought I might have worse offers.

But what would you think? In a fortnight (2 weeks) or less
(The Devil take his taste to go near her!)
He up the Manner-Easy to my black cousin, Bess!
Guess you how, the old woman! I could bear her,
could bear her -
Guess you how, the old woman! I could bear her.

But all the next week, as I petted with care,
I went to the tryst of (the cattle-fair at) Dalgarnock,
And who but my fine fickle lover was there?
I glared as if I had seen a warlock, a warlock -
I glared as if I had seen a warlock.

But over my left shoulder I gave him a glance,
Lest neighbours might say I was saucy.
My wooer he capered as if he had been in drink,
And vowed I was his dear girl, dear girl -
And vowed I was his dear girl!

I asked for my cousin full affable and sweet:
If she had recovered her hearing?
And how her new shoes fitted her old, shapeless feet?
But heavens! how he fell a swearing, a swearing -
But heavens! how he fell a swearing!

He begged, for goodness-sake, I would be his wife,
Or else I wad kill him with sorrow;
So even to preserve the poor body in life,
I think I must wed him to-morrow, to-morrow -
I think I must wed him to-morrow!