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In winter when the rain rain’d cauld.

And frost and snaw on ilka hill,

And Boreas wi’ his blasts sae bauld,

Was threat’ning a’ our kye to kill,

Then Bell my wife, wha loes nae strife,

She said to me right hastily,

Get up Gudeman, save Crnmmy’s life,

And tak your auld cloak about ye.

My Crummie is a useful cow,

And she is come of a good kyne;

Aft has she wet the bairns’ mou’,

And I am laith that she should tyne;

Get up, gudeman, it is fu’ time,

The sun shines in the lift sae hie

Sloth never made a gracious end,

Go tak’ your auld cloak about ye.

My cloak was anes a gude grey cloak,

When it was fitting for my wear;

But now its scantly worth a groat,

For I have worn't this thretty year;

Let’s spend the gear that we have won,

We little ken the day we’ll die;

Then I’ll be proud, since I hae sworn

To hae a new cloak about me.