Volume I Part 35 (2/2)

[71] We have to acknowledge our obligations for several particulars of this sketch to Mr Robert Bower, Melrose, the author of a volume of ”Ballads and Lyrics,” published at Edinburgh in 1853.

RURAL CONTENT; OR, THE MUIRLAND FARMER.

AIR--_”The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow.”_

I 'm now a guid farmer, I 've acres o' land, And my heart aye loups light when I 'm viewing o't, And I hae servants at my command, And twa dainty cowts for the plowin' o't.

My farm is a snug ane, lies high on a muir, The muirc.o.c.ks and plivers aft skirl at my door, And whan the sky low'rs I 'm aye sure o' a show'r, To moisten my land for the plowin' o't.

Leeze me on the mailin that 's fa'n to my share, It taks sax muckle bowes for the sawin' o't; I 've sax braid acres for pasture, and mair, And a dainty bit bog for the mawin' o't.

A spence and a kitchen my mansionhouse gies, I 've a cantie wee wifie to daut whan I please, Twa bairnies, twa callans, that skelp o'er the leas, And they 'll soon can a.s.sist at the plowin' o't.

My biggin' stands sweet on this south slopin' hill, And the sun s.h.i.+nes sae bonnily beamin' on 't, And past my door trots a clear prattlin' rill, Frae the loch, whare the wild-ducks are swimmin' o't; And on its green banks, on the gay simmer days, My wifie trips barefoot, a-bleachin' her claes, And on the dear creature wi' rapture I gaze, While I whistle and sing at the plowin' o't.

To rank amang farmers I hae muckle pride, But I mauna speak high when I 'm tellin' o't, How brawlie I strut on my shelty to ride, Wi' a sample to shew for the sellin' o't.

In blue worset boots that my auld mither span, I 've aft been fu' vanty sin' I was a man, But now they 're flung by, and I 've bought cordivan, And my wifie ne'er grudged me a s.h.i.+llin' o't.

Sae now, whan to kirk or to market I gae-- My weelfare what need I be hiddin' o't?-- In braw leather boots s.h.i.+nin' black as the slae, I d.i.n.k me to try the ridin' o't.

Last towmond I sell'd off four bowes o' guid bear, And thankfu' I was, for the victual was dear, And I came hame wi' spurs on my heels s.h.i.+nin' clear, I had sic good luck at the sellin' o't.

Now hairst time is o'er, and a fig for the laird, My rent 's now secure for the toilin' o't; My fields are a' bare, and my c.r.a.p 's in the yard, And I 'm nae mair in doubts o' the spoilin' o't.

Now welcome gude weather, or wind, or come weet, Or bauld ragin' winter, wi' hail, snaw, or sleet, Nae mair can he draigle my c.r.a.p 'mang his feet, Nor wraik his mischief, and be spoilin' o't.

And on the douf days, whan loud hurricanes blaw, Fu' snug i' the spence I 'll be viewin' o't, And jink the rude blast in my rush-theekit ha', Whan fields are seal'd up from the plowin' o't.

My bonny wee wifie, the bairnies, and me, The peat-stack, and turf-stack our Phbus shall be, Till day close the scoul o' its angry ee, And we 'll rest in gude hopes o' the plowin' o't.

And whan the year smiles, and the lavrocks sing, My man Jock and me shall be doin' o't; He 'll thrash, and I 'll toil on the fields in the spring, And turn up the soil at the plowin' o't.

And whan the wee flow'rets begin then to blaw, The lavrock, the peasweep, and skirlin' pickmaw, Shall hiss the bleak winter to Lapland awa, Then we 'll ply the blythe hours at the sawin' o't.

And whan the birds sing on the sweet simmer morn, My new c.r.a.p I 'll keek at the growin' o't; Whan hares niffer love 'mang the green-bairdit corn, And dew draps the tender blade shewin' o't, On my brick o' fallow my labours I 'll ply, And view on their pasture my twa bonny kye, Till hairst-time again circle round us wi' joy, Wi' the fruits o' the sawin' and plowin' o't.

Nor need I to envy our braw gentle focks, Wha fash na their thumbs wi' the sawing o't, Nor e'er slip their fine silken hands in the pocks, Nor foul their black shoon wi' the plowin' o't: For, pleased wi' the little that fortune has lent, The seasons row round us in rural content; We 've aye milk and meal, and our laird gets his rent, And I whistle and sing at the plowin' o't.

SYMON AND JANET.

AIR--_”Fy, let us a' to the Bridal.”_

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