by James Tytler (1745 - 1804)
I hae laid a herring in saut
Language: Scottish (Scots)
I hae laid a herring in saut – Lass, gin ye lo’e me tell me know; I hae brew’d a forpit o’ maut, And I canna come ilka day to woo: I hae a calf that will soon be a cow – Lass, gin ye lo’e me tell me know; I hae a stook, and I’ll soon hae a mowe, And I canna come ilka day to woo: I hae a house upon yon moor – Lass, gin ye lo’e me tell me know; Three sparrows may dance upon the floor, And I canna come ilka day to woo: I hae a but, and I hae a ben - Lass, gin ye lo’e me tell me know; A penny to keep, and a penny to spen’, And I canna come ilka day to woo: I hae a hen wi’ a happitie-leg – Lass, gin ye lo’e me tell me know; That ilka day lays me an egg, And I canna come ilka day to woo: I hae a cheese upon my skelf - Lass, gin ye lo’e me tell me know; And soon wi’ mites ‘twill rin itself, And I canna come ilka day to woo.
Confirmed with The Garland of Scotia, edited by John Turnbull and Patrick Buchan, William Mitchison, Glasgow, 1841, Page 113.
Authorship:
- by James Tytler (1745 - 1804), "I hae laid a herring in saut" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "I hae laid a herring in saut", published 1939 [ low voice and piano ], from Scottish Lyrics, Book 5, no. 1, Bayley & Ferguson [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 24
Word count: 196