| J. C. Squire, ed. A Book of Women’s Verse. 1921. | | | | Caller Herrin’ | | By Caroline, Lady Nairne (1766–1845) |
| | | Wha’ll buy my caller herrin’? | |
| They’re bonnie fish and halesome farin’: | |
| Wha’ll buy my caller herrin’, | |
| New drawn frae the Forth? | |
| |
| When ye were sleepin’ on your pillows, | 5 |
| Dreamed ye aught o’ our puir fellows | |
| Darkling as they faced the billows, | |
| A’ to fill the woven willows? | |
| |
| Wha’ll buy my caller herrin’? | |
| They’re no brought here without brave darin’, | 10 |
| Buy my caller herrin’, | |
| Hauled through wind and rain. | |
| |
| Wha’ll buy my caller herrin’? | |
| Oh, ye may ca’ them vulgar farin’; | |
| Wives and mithers, ’maist despairin’, | 15 |
| Ca’ them lives o’ men. | |
| |
| When the creel o’ herrin’ passes, | |
| Ladies, clad in silks and laces, | |
| Gather in their braw pelisses, | |
| Cast their heads, and screw their faces. | 20 |
| |
| Caller herrin’s no got lightly; | |
| Ye can trip the spring fu’ tightly; | |
| Spite o’ tauntin’, flauntin’, flingin’, | |
| Gow 1 has set you a’ a-singin’. | |
| |
| Neebour wives, now tent my tellin’ | 25 |
| When the bonnie fish ye’re sellin’, | |
| At ae word be in your dealin’, | |
| Truth will stand when a’ thing ’s failin’. | |
|
|
|
