by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Fee him, father See original
Language: English
Saw ye Johny coming, quo' she,
Saw ye Johny coming:
Wi' his blew bonnet on his head,
And his dogie running, quo' she,
And his dogie running?
...
O what will I do wi' him, quo' he,
What will I do wi' him?
He has ne'er a coat upon his back,
And I hae nane to gie him.
I hae twa coats into my kist,
And ane of them I'll gie him:
And for a merk of mair fee,
Dinna stand wi' him, quo' she,
Dinna stand wi' him.
For weel do I loe him, quo' she,
Weel do I loe him;
O fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,
Fee him, father, fee him;
He'll ha'd the pleugh, thrash in the barn,
And crack wi' me at e'en, quo' she,
And crack wi' me at e'en.
Glossary:
Fee = hire
Kist = chest
Merk = silver coin
Ha'd the pleugh = hold the plough
Crack = converse
Composition:
- Set to music by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Fee him, father", JHW XXXII/3 no. 171, Hob. XXXIa no. 156, stanzas 1,3-4
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "Fee him, father, fee him"
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2010-01-10
Line count: 27
Word count: 198