AND are ye sure the news is true? | |
And are ye sure he's weel? | |
Is this the time to think o' wark? | |
Ye jades, lay by your wheel; | |
Is this the time to spin a thread, | 5 |
When Colin's at the door? | |
Reach down my cloak, I'll to the quay, | |
And see him come ashore. | |
For there's nae luck about the house, | |
There's nae luck at a'; | 10 |
There's little pleasure in the house | |
When our gudeman's awa'. | |
|
And gie to me my bigonet, | |
My bishop's satin gown; | |
For I maun tell the baillie's wife | 15 |
That Colin's in the town. | |
My Turkey slippers maun gae on, | |
My stockins pearly blue: | |
It's a' to pleasure our gudeman, | |
For he's baith leal and true. | 20 |
|
Rise, lass, and mak' a clean fireside, | |
Put on the muckle pot; | |
Gie little Kate her button gown | |
And Jock his Sunday coat; | |
And mak' their shoon as black as slaes, | 25 |
Their hose as white as snaw: | |
It's a' to please my ain gudeman, | |
For he's been long awa'. | |
|
There's twa fat hens upo' the coop | |
Been fed this month and mair; | 30 |
Mak' haste and thraw their necks about, | |
That Colin weel may fare; | |
And spread the table neat and clean, | |
Gar ilka thing look braw, | |
For wha can tell how Colin fared | 35 |
When he was far awa'? | |
|
Sae true his heart, sae smooth his speech, | |
His breath like caller air; | |
His very foot has music in't | |
As he comes up the stair: | 40 |
And will I see his face again? | |
And will I hear him speak? | |
I'm downright dizzy wi' the thought, | |
In troth I'm like to greet! | |
|
If Colin's weel, and weel content, | 45 |
I hae nae mair to crave; | |
And gin I live to keep him sae, | |
I'm blest aboon the lave: | |
And will I see his face again, | |
And will I hear him speak? | 50 |
I'm downright dizzy wi' the thought, | |
In troth I'm like to greet! | |
For there's nae luck about the house, | |
There's nae luck at a'; | |
There's little pleasure in the house | 55 |
When our gudeman's awa'. | |
|