Ballads in the Cumberland dialect by R. Anderson, with notes and a glossary, and a biographical sketch of the author |
Ballads in the Cumberland dialect | ||
54
FECKLESS WULLY.
Wee Wully wuns on yonder brow,
And Wully he hes dowters twee;
But nought cud feckless Wully dui,
To get them sweethearts weel to see.
And Wully he hes dowters twee;
But nought cud feckless Wully dui,
To get them sweethearts weel to see.
For Meg she luik'd baith reet and left,
Her een they bwor'd a body thro';
And Jen was deef, and dun, and daft,
And de'il a yen com there to woo.
Her een they bwor'd a body thro';
And Jen was deef, and dun, and daft,
And de'il a yen com there to woo.
The neybor's wink'd, the neybors jeer'd,
The neybors flyr'd at them in scworn,
And monie a wicked trick they play'd
Peer Meg and Jen, beath neet and mworn.
The neybors flyr'd at them in scworn,
And monie a wicked trick they play'd
Peer Meg and Jen, beath neet and mworn.
As Wully went ae day to wark,
He kick'd a summet wid his shoe;
And Wully glowr'd, and Wully girn'd,
‘Guide us!’ quoth he, ‘what ha'e we now?’
He kick'd a summet wid his shoe;
And Wully glowr'd, and Wully girn'd,
‘Guide us!’ quoth he, ‘what ha'e we now?’
And Wully cunn'd owre six scwore pun,
And back he ran wi' nimmle heel,
And aye owre his shou'der glym'd,
And thought he'd dealins wi' the de'il.
And back he ran wi' nimmle heel,
And aye owre his shou'der glym'd,
And thought he'd dealins wi' the de'il.
And Wully's bought a reet snug house,
And Wully's bought a bit o' lan;
And Meg and Jen are trig and crouse,
Sin he the yellow pwokie fan.
And Wully's bought a bit o' lan;
And Meg and Jen are trig and crouse,
Sin he the yellow pwokie fan.
55
Nae mair the neybors wink and jeer,
But aw shek hans wi' them, I trow;
And ilk yen talks o' William's gear,
For Wully's chang'd to William now.
But aw shek hans wi' them, I trow;
And ilk yen talks o' William's gear,
For Wully's chang'd to William now.
And some come east, and some come west,
And some come monie a mile to woo;
And Meg luiks straight, and Jen has sense,
And we aw see what gear 'll dui.
And some come monie a mile to woo;
And Meg luiks straight, and Jen has sense,
And we aw see what gear 'll dui.
Ye rich fwok aw, ye'll aye dui reet;
Ye peer fwok aw, ye'll aye dui wrang;
Let wise men aw say what they will,
It's money meks the meer to gang.
Ye peer fwok aw, ye'll aye dui wrang;
Let wise men aw say what they will,
It's money meks the meer to gang.
July 3rd, 1803.
Ballads in the Cumberland dialect | ||