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by William Barnes (1801 - 1886)

No, no! I ben't a‑runnèn down
Language: English 
No, no! I ben't a-runnèn down 
The pretty maïden's o' the town,
  Nor wishèn o'm noo harm;
But she that I would marry vu'st,
To sheäre my good luck or my crust,
  'S a-bred up at a farm.
In town, a maïd do zee mwore life,
  An' I don't under-reäte her; 
But ten to woone the sprackest wife
  'S a farmer's woldest dā'ter.

Vor she do veed, wi' tender ceäre,
The little woones, an' peärt their heäir,
  An' keep em neat an' pirty;
An' keep the saucy little chaps
O' bwoys in trim wi' dreats an' slaps,
  When they be wild an' dirty.
Zoo if you'd have a bus'lèn wife,
  An' childern well look'd after,
The maïd to help ye all drough life
  'S a farmer's woldest dā'ter.

An' she can iorn up an'vwold
A book o' clothes wi' young or wold,
  An' zalt an' roll the butter;
An' meäke brown bread, an' elder wine,
An' zalt down meat in pans o' brine,
  An' do what you can put her.
Zoo if you've wherewi', an' would vind 
  A wife wo'th lookèn aā'ter, 
Goo an' get a farmer in the mind
  To gi'e ye his woldest dā'ter.

Her heart's so innocent an' kind.
She idden thoughtless, but do mind
  Her mother an' her duty;
An' livèn blushes, that do spread
Upon her healthy feäce o' red,
  Do heighten all her beauty;
So quick's a bird, so neat's a cat,
  So cheerful in her neätur,
The best o' maïdens to come at
  'S a farmer's woldest dā'ter.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by William Barnes (1801 - 1886), "The farmer's woldest dā'ter", appears in Poems of rural life in the Dorset dialect [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 Mervyn, Lord Horder, the Second Baron of Ashford (1910 - 1998), "The farmer's eldest daughter" [ voice and piano ], from Dorset Delight, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-10-26
Line count: 40
Word count: 255

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