The Keach I the Creel
No: 281; variant: 281D
- 'MY father he locks the doors at nicht,
My mither the keys carries ben, ben;
There's naebody dare gae out,' she says,
'And as few dare come in, in,
And as few dare come in.'
- 'I will mak a lang ladder,
Wi fifty steps and three,
I will mak a lang ladder,
And lichtly come doun to thee.'
- He has made a lang ladder,
Wi fifty steps and three,
He has made a lang ladder,
And lichtly come doun the lum.
- They had na kissd nor lang clappit,
As lovers do whan they meet,
Till the auld wife says to the auld man,
I hear somebody speak.
- 'I dreamed a dreem sin late yestreen,
And I'm feard my dream be true;
I dreamd that the rottens cam thro the wa,
And cuttit the covering blue.
- 'Ye'll rise, ye'll rise, my auld gudeman,
And see gin this be true;'
'If ye're wanting rising, rise yoursel,
For I wish the auld chiel ahd you.'
- 'I dreamed a dream sin late yestreen,
And I'm feard my dream be true;
I dreamd that the clerk and our ae dother
War rowed in the covering blue.
- 'Ye'll rise, ye'll rise, my auld gudeman,
And see gin this be true:'
'If ye're wanting rising, rise yoursel,
For I wish the auld chiel had you.'
- But up she raise, and but she gaes,
And she fell into the gin;
He gied the tow a clever tit,
That brought her out at the lum.
- 'Ye'll rise, ye'll rise, my auld gudeman,
Ye'll rise and come to me now,
For him that ye've gien me sae lang till,
I fear he has gotten me now.'
- 'The grip that he's gotten, I wish he may haud,
And never let it gae,
For atween you and your ae dother
I rest neither nicht nor day.'