There was a lad was born in Kyle,
But what na day o' what na style,
I doubt it 's hardly worth the while
To be sae nice wi' Robin.
Robin was a rovin' Boy,
Rantin' rovin', rantin' rovin';
Robin was a rovin' Boy,
Rantin' rovin' Robin.
Our monarch's hindmost year but ane
Was five-and-twenty days begun,
'Twas then a blast o' Janwar' Win'
Blew hansel in on Robin.
The Gossip keekit in his loof,
Quo' scho wha lives will see the proof,
This waly boy will be nae coof,
I think we'll ca' him Robin.
He'll hae misfortunes great and sma',
But ay a heart aboon them a';
He'll be a credit till us a',
We'll a' be proud o' Robin.
But sure as three times three mak nine,
I see by ilka score and line,
This chap will dearly like our kin',
So leeze me on thee, Robin.
Guid faith quo' scho I doubt you Stir,
Ye'll gar the lasses lie aspar;
But twenty fauts ye may hae waur -
So blessins on thee, Robin.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak (1887 - 1964) ; composed by Georgiy Vasil'yevich Sviridov.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Byl hoch"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 176
Byl hoch, jenž v Kyle se narodil, však jaký den a čas to byl, já ptát se mnoho nechodil; též nestál za to Robin. Robin to byl čertů hoch, čertů z hor a čertů z rovin, Robin to byl čertů hoch, z hor i rovin, Robin. Náš milostivý, starý král, rok předposlední kraloval, když koncem ledna vichr vál, a přivát byl náš Robin. Hned kmotra hádá z jeho ruk: Však dočká se, kdo zdráv jak buk, že dobrá kopa je ten kluk, — nu, pokřtíme ho Robin. Mít velkých, malých bude slot, však statné srdce do trampot, ba, oslaví náš celý rod, nám pýchou bude Robin. Však jako že mám prstů pět, z té každé rýhy uvidět, že kluk se k holkám bude mět, tak zdráv nám budiž Robin! Ba věru, řekla, myslím až, že mnohé holce uděláš — nu, chlapče, ať si chyby máš, — nám žehnán bud náš Robin! Robin to byl čertů hoch, čertů z hor a čertů z rovin, Robin to byl čertů hoch, z hor i rovin, Robin.
Confirmed with BURNS, Robert. Výbor z písní a ballad, translated by Josef Václav Sládek, Praha: J. Otto, 1892.
Text Authorship:
- by Josef Václav Sládek (1845 - 1912), "Byl hoch" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-08-12
Line count: 32
Word count: 173