The Covering Blue
THE KEACH I THE CREEL—D
[_]
Kinloch MSS, I, 276; from Alexander Kinnear, of
Stonehaven.
1
‘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.’
2
‘I will mak a lang ladder,
Wi fifty steps and three,
I will mak a lang ladder,
And lichtly come doun to thee.’
3
He has made a lang ladder,
Wi fifty steps and three,
He has made a lang ladder,
And lichtly come doun the lum.
4
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.
5
‘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.
6
‘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.’
7
‘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.
8
‘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.’
9
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.
10
‘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.’
11
‘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.’
