― 275 ―
FY, LET US A' TO THE WEDDING.
(AN AULD SANG NEW BUSKIT.)
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FY, let us a' to the wedding,
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For they will be lilting there; |
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For Jock's to be married to Maggy, |
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The lass wi' the gowden hair. |
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And there will be jibing and jeering, |
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And glancing of bonny dark een, |
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Loud laughing and smooth-gabbit speering |
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O' questions baith pawky and keen. |
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And there will be Bessy the beauty, |
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Wha raises her cockup sae hie, |
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And giggles at preaehings and duty, |
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Guid grant that she gang na' ajee! |
― 276 ―
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And there will be auld Geordie Taunner, |
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Wha coft a young wife wi' his gowd; |
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She'll flaunt wi' a silk gown upon her, |
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But wow! he looks dowie and cow'd. |
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And brown Tibby Fouler the Heiress |
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Will perk at the tap o' the ha', |
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Encircled wi' suitors, wha's care is |
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To catch up her gloves when they fa',— |
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Repeat a' her jokes as they're cleckit, |
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And haver and glower in her face, |
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When tocherless mays are negleckit, — |
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A crying and scandalous case. |
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And Maysie, wha's clavering aunty |
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Wad match her wi' Laurie the Laird, |
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And learns the young fule to be vaunty, |
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But neither to spin nor to caird. |
― 277 ―
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And Andrew, wha's Granny is yearning |
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To see him a clerical blade, |
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Was sent to the college for learning, |
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And cam' back a coof as he gaed. |
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And there will be auld Widow Martin, |
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That ca's hersel thrity and twa; |
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And thraw-gabbit Madge wha for certain |
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Was jilted by Hab o' the Shaw. |
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And Elspy the sewster sae genty, |
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A pattern of havens and sense, |
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Will straik on her mittens sae dainty, |
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And crack wi' Mess John i' the spence. |
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And Angus, the seer o' fairlies, |
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That sits on the stane at his door, |
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And tells about bogles, and mair lies |
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Than tongue ever uttered before. |
― 278 ―
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And there will be Bauldy the boaster, |
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Sae ready wi' hands and wi' tongue; |
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Proud Paty and silly Sam Foster, |
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Wha quarrel wi' auld and wi' young: |
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And Hugh the town-writer, I'm thinking, |
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That trades in his lawerly skill, |
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Will egg on the fighting and drinking |
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To bring after-grist to his mill: |
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And Maggy—na, na! we'll be civil, |
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And let the wee bridie a-be; |
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A vilipend tongue is the devil, |
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And ne'er was encouraged by me. |
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Then fy, let us a' to the wedding, |
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For they will be lilting there, |
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Frae mony a far-distant ha'ding, |
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The fun and the feasting to share. |
― 279 ―
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For they will get sheep's head, and haggis, |
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And browst o' the barley-mow; |
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E'en he that comes latest, and lag is, |
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May feast upon dainties enow: |
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Veal florentines in the oon baken, |
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Weel plenished wi' raisins and fat, |
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Beef, mutton, and chuckies, a' taken |
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Het reeking frae spit and frae pat: |
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And glasses (I trow 'tis na' said ill), |
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To drink the young couple good luck, |
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Weel filled wi' a braw beechen ladle |
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Frae punch-bowl as big as Dumbuck. |
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And then will come dancing and daffing, |
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And reelin and crossin o' hans, |
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Till even auld Lucky is laughing, |
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As back by the aumry she stans. |
― 280 ―
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Sic bobbing and flinging and whirling, |
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While fiddlers are making their din; |
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And pipers are droning and skirling, |
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As loud as the roar o' the lin. |
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Then fy, let us a' to the wedding, |
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For they will be lilting there, |
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For Jock's to be married to Maggy, |
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The lass wi' the gowden hair. |
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