⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠And dinna be sae rude to me
⁠As kiss me sae before folk.

It wadna gi'e me meikle pain,
Gin we were seen and heard by nane,
To tak' a kiss, or grant you ane;
⁠But guidsake! no before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;
⁠Whate'er ye do, when out o' view,
⁠Be cautious aye before folk.

Consider, lad, how folk will crack.
And what a great affair they'll mak'
O' naething but a simple smack,
⁠That's gi'en or ta'en before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;
⁠Nor gi'e the tongue o' auld or young
⁠Occasion to come o'er folk.

It's no through hatred o' a kiss,
That I sae plainly tell you this;
But, losh! I tak' it sair amiss
⁠To be sae teazed before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;
⁠When we're our lane ye may tak' ane,
⁠But fient a ane before folk.

I'm sure wi' you I've been as free
As ony modest lass should be;
But yet it doesna do to see
⁠Sic freedom used before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;
⁠I'll ne'er submit again to it —
⁠So mind you that — before folk.

Ye tell me that my face fair;
It may be sae — I dinna care —
But ne'er again gar't blush sae sair
⁠As ye ha'e done before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Nor heat my cheeks wi' your mad freaks,
⁠But aye be douce before folk.

Ye tell me that my lips are sweet,
Sic tales, I doubt, are a' deceit;
At ony rate, its hardly meet
⁠To pree their sweets before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;
⁠Gin that's the case, there's time, and place,
⁠But surely no before folk.

But, gin you really do insist
That I should suffer to be kiss'd,
Gae, get a license frae the priest,
⁠And mak' me yours before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk.
⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;
⁠And when we're ane, baith flesh and bane,
⁠Ye may tak' ten — before folk.

THE ANSWER.
⁠Can I behave, can I behave.
⁠Can I behave before folk.
⁠When, wily elf, your sleeky self
⁠Gars me gang gyte before folk?

In a' you do, in a' ye say,
Ye've sic a pawkie coaxing way,
That my poor wits ye lead astray,
⁠An' ding me doilt before folk!
⁠Can I behave, can I behave,
⁠Can I behave before folk.
⁠While ye ensnare, can I forbear
⁠To kiss you, though before folk?

Can I behold that dimpling cheek,
Wliar love 'mang sunny smiles might beek,
Yet, howlet-like, my e'elids steek,
⁠An' shun sic light, before folk?
⁠Can I behave, can I behave.
⁠Can I behave before folk.
⁠When ilka smile becomes a wile.
⁠Enticing me — before folk?

That lip, like Eve's forbidden fruit,
Sweet, plump, an' ripe, sae tempts me to't,
That I maun pree't, though I should rue't,
⁠Ay, twenty times — before folk!
​⁠Can I behave, can I behave,
⁠Can I behave before folk,
⁠When temptingly it offers me
⁠So rich a treat — before folk?

That gowden hair sae sunny bright;
That shapely neck o' snawy white;
That tongue, even when it tries to flyte,
⁠Provokes me till't before folk!
⁠Can I behave, can I behave,
⁠Can I behave before folk,
⁠When ilka charm, young, fresh, an' warm,
⁠Cries, "kiss me now" — before folk?

An' O! that pawkie, rowin' e'e,
Sae roguishly it blinks on me,
I canna, for my saul, let be,
⁠Frae kissing you before folk!
⁠Can I behave, can I behave,
⁠Can I behave before folk,
When ilka glint conveys a hint
⁠To tak' a smack — before folk?

Ye own, that were we baith our lane,
Ye wadna grudge to grant me ane;
Weel, gin there be nae harm in't then,
⁠What harm is in't before folk,
⁠Can I behave, can I behave,
⁠Can I behave before folk,
⁠Sly hypocrite! an anchorite
⁠Could scarce desist — before folk!

But after a' that has been said,
Since ye are willing to be wed,
We'll ha'e a "blythsome bridal" made,
⁠When ye'll be mine before folk!
⁠Then I'll behave, then I'll behave,
⁠Then I'll behave before folk;
⁠For whereas then, ye'll aft get "ten,"
⁠It winna be before folk!