by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Tibbie Fowler See original
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Tibbie Fowler o' the glen,
There 's o'er mony wooin at her,
Seven but, and seven ben,
And mony mair wooing at her.
Wooin at her, pu'in at her,
Courtin at her, canna get her:
Filthy elf, it 's for her pelf,
That a' the lads are wooin at her.
Ten cam east, and ten cam west,
Ten came rowin o'er the water;
Twa came down the lang dyke side,
There 's twa and thirty wooin at her.
Wooin at her, pu'in at her...
...
She 's got pendles in her lugs,
Cockle-shells wad set her better;
High-heel'd shoon and siller tags,
And a' the lads are wooin at her.
Wooin at her, pu'in at her...
Glossary:
Mony = many
Ben = seven outside the house and seven in the parlour
Puing = pulling
Elf = hideous creature
Pelf = money, riches
Pendles = jewels, ear-rings
Lugs = ears
Shoon = shoes
Siller = silver
Composition:
- Set to music by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Tibbie Fowler", JHW. XXXII/4 no. 283, Hob. XXXIa:52bis, stanzas 1-2,4
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Tibbie Fowler o' the Glen"
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 33
Word count: 215