by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Wee Willie Gray, an' his leather wallet
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Wee Willie Gray, [an']1 his leather wallet, Peel a willow-wand, to be him boots and jacket! The rose upon the [brier]2 will be him [trouse]3 and doublet -- The rose upon the [brier]2 will be him [trouse]3 and doublet! Wee Willie Gray, and his leather wallet, Twice a lily-flower will be him sark and [gravat]4! Feathers of a flee wad feather up his bonnet -- Feathers of a flee wad feather up his bonnet!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with The Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns, edited by James Barke with an Introduction by John Cairney, Collins, Glasgow 1995, Page 599.
1 Britten: "and"2 Britten: "breer"
3 Britten: "trews"
4 Britten and Scott: "cravat"
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Wee Willie Gray" [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 (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Wee Willie", op. 92 no. 3 (1975), from A Birthday Hansel, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "Wee Willie Gray", published 1936 [ low voice and piano ], from Scottish Lyrics, Book 5, no. 3, Bayley & Ferguson; confirmed with Songs of Francis George Scott, selected and edited by Neil Mackay, Roberton Publications, Aylesbury 1980, page 90. [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Malounký Willie"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Jean Branch , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 78