by Hector Macneill (1746 - 1818)
Happy Dick Dawson
Language: English
I lo'e ne'er a laddie but ane, He lo'es ne'er a lassie but me, He promis'd to make me his ain, And his ain I surely will be. He coft me a rokely o' blue, And a pair o' mittens sae green; The price was a kiss o' my mou', And I paid him his debt yestreen. My mither's ay making a fraise, And says I'm o'er young for a wife; But lang e'er she counted my days, My father had ta'en her for life. Sae mither just settle your tongue, And dinna be flyting sae bauld; For if we're not married when young, We'll never be married when auld. "Dear lassie," he cries, wi' a jeer, "Ne'er heed what the auld anes will say; "Tho' we've little to brag of, ne'er fear, "What's gowd to a heart that is wae? "Our laird has baith honours and wealth, "Yet see, how he's dwining wi' care; "Now we, tho' we've naithing but health, "Are cantie and leal evermair. He ends wi' a kiss and a smile, Waes me! can I tak' it amiss, When a lad sae unpractis'd in guile, Smiles saftly, and ends wi' a kiss! Ye lasses wha lo'e to torment Your lovers wi' fause scorn and strife, Play your pranks -- for I've gi'en my consent, And this night I'll tak' Jamie for life.
Glossary:
Coft = bought
Rokely = cloak
Fraise = pretending a great deal of kindness
Flyting = scolding
Bauld = bold
Gowd = gold
Dwining = decaying
Cantie = cheerful, merry
Leal = loyal
Fause = false
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
Coft = bought
Rokely = cloak
Fraise = pretending a great deal of kindness
Flyting = scolding
Bauld = bold
Gowd = gold
Dwining = decaying
Cantie = cheerful, merry
Leal = loyal
Fause = false
Authorship:
- by Hector Macneill (1746 - 1818) [author's text not yet checked 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 (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Happy Dick Dawson", Hob. XXXIa:247, JHW XXXII/4 no. 285. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2009-06-14
Line count: 32
Word count: 225