The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

Part I.

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

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Drowsy Lane

KEMPY KAY—E

[_]

Campbell MSS, II, 122.

1

‘Gud een, gud een,’ says Chickmakin,
‘Ye're welcome here,’ says Drowsy Lane;
‘I'm comd to court your daughter Jean,
And marry her wi yer will, a wee.’

2

‘My daughter Jean's a thrifty lass,
She's spun these seven lang years to me,

304

And gin she spin another seven,
She'll munt a half an heir, a wee.’

3

Drowsy Lane, it's he's gane hame,
And keekit through the hole, a wee
And there he saw his daughter Jean
A reeking oer the coal. a wee

4

‘Get up, get up, ye dirty bitch,
And wash yer foul face clean,
For they are to be here the night
That should hae been here yestreen.’

5

Up she rose, pat on her clothes,
She's washen her foul face clean;
She cursd the hands, she ban'd the feet,
That wadna bring the water in.

6

She rubbit hersel, she scrubbit hersel,
Wi the side of a rustit pan, a wee,
And in a little came Chickmakin,
A braw young lad indeed was he.

7

His teeth they were like tether-steeks,
His nose was five feet lang;
Between his shoulders was nine yards broad,
And between his een a span.

8

Ilka hair into his head
Was like a heather-cowe,
And ilka louse that lookit out
Was like a brookit ewe.

9

Thae twa kissd and thae twa clapt,
And thae twa kissd their fill,
And aye the slaver between them hang
Wad tetherd a ten-pund bull.

10

They twa kissd and they twa clapt,
And they gaed to their bed, a wee,
And at their head a knocking stane
And at their feet a mell, a wee.

11

The auld wife she lay in her bed:
‘And gin ye'll do my bidding a wee,
And gin ye'll do my bidding,’ quoth she,
‘Yees whirl her oer the lea, a wee.’