Page:Bailie Nicol Jarvie's journey to Aberfoil.pdf/2

 BAILIE NICOL JARVIE'S JOURNEY TO

ABERFOIL

AIR—Quaker's Wife

You may talk o' your Wallace, and talk o' your Bruce

And talk o' your fechting Red Reiver;

But whar will you find a great man o' sic use

As a thorough-bred Saut-Market weaver?

Let ance Nicol Jarvie come under your view,

At hame whar the people adore me;

Wher they made me a bailie, and counsellor too,

Like my father, the deacon, before me.

The clavering chiels, in the clachan hard by,

They'll no gie a body but hard words:

My faith! they shall find, if again they will try,

A het poker's as guide as their braid swords.

"It's as weel though to let that flea stick fast to the wa';"

For mayhap the may chance to claymore me;

To let "sleepin' dogs lie" is the best thing ava',

Said my father, the deacon, before me.

My poor cousin Rab, an' his terrible wife,

Was sae proud that she chose to disowa me;