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The Tailor

A poem by Robert Burns.

â’¼ CONTAINS SOME SCENES OF A SEXUAL NATURE

The tailor came to clout the claise,
Sic a braw fellow,
He filled the house a' fou o' fleas,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
He filled the house a' fou o' fleas,
Daffin down and dilly.

The lassie slept ayont the fire,
Sic a braw hissey!
Oh! She was a' his heart's desire,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
Oh! She was a' his heart's desire,
Daffin down and dilly.

The lassie she fell fast asleep,
Sic a braw hissey!
The tailor close to her did creep,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
The tailor close to her did creep,
Daffin down and dilly.

The lassie waken'd in a fright,
Sic a braw hissey!
Her maidenhead had taen the flight,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
A tailor's bodkin caused the flight,
Daffin down and dilly.

She sought it butt, she sought it ben,
Sic a braw hissey!
And in beneath the clocken-hen,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
It wasna but, it wasna ben,
Daffin down and dilly.

She sought it in the owsen-staw,
Sic a braw hissey!
Na, faith, quo' she, it's quite awa',
Daffin down, and daffin down,
The tailor loon has stown't awa',
Daffin down and dilly.

She sought it 'yont the knocking-stane,
Sic a braw hissey!"
Some day, quo' she, 'twill gang its lane,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
For my tirly-wirly mak's its mane,
Daffin down and dilly.

She ca'd the tailor to the court,
Sic a braw hissey!
And a' the young men round about,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
To gar the tailor mend her clout,
Daffin down and dilly.

She gart the tailor pay a fine,
Sic a braw hissey!
Gi'e me my maidenhead agen;
Daffin down, and daffin down,
I'll hae my maidenhead again,
Daffin down and dilly.

O what way wad ye hae't agen?
Sic a braw hissey!
Oh! Just the way that it was taen,
Daffin down, and daffin down,
Come, just the way that it was ta'en,
Daffin down and dilly.

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