The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 9/Chapter 275


 * It fell about the Martinmas time,
 * And a gay time it was then,
 * When our goodwife got puddings to make,
 * And she ’s boil’d them in the pan.


 * The wind sae cauld blew south and north,
 * And blew into the floor;
 * Quoth our goodman to our goodwife,
 * "Gae out and bar the door."


 * "My hand is in my hussyfskap,
 * Goodman, as ye may see;
 * An’ it shou’dna be barr’d this hundred year,
 * It ’s no be barr’d for me."


 * They made a paction ’tween them twa,
 * They made it firm and sure,
 * That the first word whae’er shou’d speak,
 * Shou’d rise and bar the door.


 * Then by there came two gentlemen,
 * At twelve o’ clock at night,
 * And they could neither see house nor hall,
 * Nor coal nor candle-light.


 * "Now whether is this a rich man’s house,
 * Or whether is it a poor?"
 * But ne’er a word wad ane o’ them speak,
 * For barring of the door.


 * And first they ate the white puddings,
 * And then they ate the black.
 * Tho’ muckle thought the goodwife to hersel’
 * Yet ne’er a word she spake.


 * Then said the one unto the other,
 * "Here, man, tak ye my knife;
 * Do ye tak aff the auld man’s beard,
 * And I’ll kiss the goodwife."


 * "But there’s nae water in the house,
 * And what shall we do than?"
 * "What ails ye at the pudding-broo,
 * That boils into the pan?"


 * O up then started our goodman,
 * An angry man was he:
 * "Will ye kiss my wife before my een,
 * And sca’d me wi’ pudding-bree?"


 * Then up and started our goodwife,
 * Gied three skips on the floor:
 * "Goodman, you’ve spoken the foremost word!
 * Get up and bar the door."