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The Beggar-Laddie

No: 280; variant: 280B

  1. 'TWAS on a day in the month o June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When Phoebus shines sae clearly.
  2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . She says, My dear, what is your trade When thiggin ye give over?
  3. 'Spinls and forls is my trade, Wi bits o sticks I win my bread, An O it is a winnin trade; Bonnie lassie, can ye loo me?' An O it is, etc.
  4. 'O I can love ye manyfold, As Jacob loved Rachel of old, And as Jessie loved the cups o gold; My dear, can ye believe me?' As Jessie, etc.
  5. 'It's ye'll tak aff the robes o red, An ye'll pit on the beggin-weed, An ye'll gang wi me an ye'll beg your bread, An ye'll be the beggar's dawtie.'
  6. When they cam to yon borough-toon, They bocht a loaf an they baith sat doon, They bocht a loaf an they baith sat doon, An the lassie ate wi her laddie.
  7. When they cam to yon grassy hill, Where spotted flocks do feed their fill, 'I'll sit me doon an I'll greet a while, For the followin o my laddie.'
  8. 'It's ye'll tak aff yer beggin-weed, An ye'll pit on the goons o red, An ye-ll gang ye back the road ye cam For I canna bide yer greetin.'
  9. 'Betide me weel, betide me woe, It's wi the beggar an I'll go, An I'll follow him through frost an snow, An I'll be the beggar's dawtie.'
  10. When they cam to yonder ha, He knockit loud an sair did ca; She says, My dear, we'll be foun in fa For knockin here sae loudly.
  11. Four-an-twenty gentlemen Cam a' to welcome the beggar in, An as monie fair ladies gay To welcome 's bonnie lassie.
  12. When at he gied through the ha, Tney a' did laugh, they were like to fa, Sayin, Brither, I wish we had beggit a', For sic a bonnie lassie.
  13. 'The streen ye was the beggar's bride, An noo this nicht ye'll lie by my side, Come weel, come woe, whateer betide, An ye'll be aye my dawtie.'