What can a young lassie, what shall a young lassie, What can a young lassie do wi' an auld man? Bad luck on the penny that tempted my minny To sell her poor Jenny for siller and lan He's always compleenin frae mornin' to e'enin, He hosts and he hirples the weary day lang: He's doyl't and he's dozin, his blude it is frozen, O dool on the day I met wi' an auld man. He hums and he hankers, he frets and he cankers, I never can please him, do a' that I can; He's peevish, and jealous of a' the young fellows, 0 dool on the day I met wi' an auld man! My auld auntie Katie upon me takes pity, I'll do my endeavour to follow her plan; I'll cross him, and wrack him, until I heart-break him, And then his auld brass will buy me a new pan!
hosts = coughs;
hirples = limps;
doyl't = stupid;
dozin = almost lifeless;
dool = sorrow;
hankers = wavers;
cankers = snarls;
wrack = tease
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) [author's text not yet checked 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 (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "What can a young lassie do", Hob. XXXIa:134bis, JHW XXXII/3 no. 193 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Heinrich Julius Heintze (1811 - 1860) , "Was nützt einem Mädchen", appears in Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns, first published 1840 ; composed by Johannes Dürrner.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Co má děvče mladé…"
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Que peut faire une jeune gamine", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 152
Was nützt einem Mädchen, was soll einem Mädchen, Was nützt einem Mädchen ein alter Mann? Verwünscht sei das Geld, das die Mutter verführte, Arm Hannchen um Silber zu bringen an Mann! Er pinselt nur immer vom Morgen bis Abend, Und hustet und keucht den geschlagenen Tag, Ist schwach wie ein Kind und hat Eis in den Adern; O schlaf' mit dem alten Manne, wer's mag! Er zanket und summet, er keifet und brummet, Nichts mach' ich ihm recht, und ich thu' was ich kann; Er eifert und geifert auf alle die Burschen, O weh, daß gefreit mich ein alter Mann! Kathrine, mein Mühmchen, hat längst mich bedauert, Und wahrlich! nicht übel ihr Rath mir gefällt: Wenn erst ich zu Tod ihn geärgert, dann kauft mir Eine neue Pfanne sein altes Geld.
Confirmed with Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns. Übertragen von Heinrich Julius Heintze, Braunschweig, Verlag von George Westermann, 1840, page 147.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Julius Heintze (1811 - 1860), "Was nützt einem Mädchen", appears in Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns, first published 1840 [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):
- by Johannes Dürrner (1810 - 1859), "Was nützt einem Mädchen", op. 4 (6 Lieder von R. Burns) no. 5, published 1843 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2026-01-18
Line count: 16
Word count: 131