The Braw Wooer
A song by Robert Burns, written in 1795.
Last May, a braw wooer cam doun the lang glen,
And sair wi' his love he did deave me;
I said, there was naething I hated like men
The deuce gae wi'm, to believe me, believe me;
The deuce gae wi'm to believe me.
He spak o' the darts in my bonie black e'en,
And vow'd for my love he was diein,
I said, he might die when he liked for Jean
The Lord forgie me for liein, for liein;
The Lord forgie me for liein!
A weel-stocked mailen, himsel' for the laird,
And marriage aff-hand, were his proffers;
I never loot on that I kenn'd it, or car'd;
But thought I might hae waur offers, waur offers;
But thought I might hae waur offers.
But what wad ye think? - in a fortnight or less
The deil tak his taste to gae near her!
He up the Gate - slack to my black cousin, Bess
Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her, could bear her;
Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her.
But a' the niest week, as I petted wi' care,
I gaed to the tryst o' Dalgarnock;
But wha but my fine fickle wooer was there,
I glowr'd as I'd seen a warlock, a warlock,
I glowr'd as I'd seen a warlock.
But owre my left shouther I gae him a blink,
Lest neibours might say I was saucy;
My wooer he caper'd as he'd been in drink,
And vow'd I was his dear lassie, dear lassie,
And vow'd I was his dear lassie.
I spier'd for my cousin fu' couthy and sweet,
Gin she had recover'd her hearin',
And how her new shoon fit her auld schachl't feet,
But heavens! how he fell a swearin, a swearin,
But heavens! how he fell a swearin.
He begged, for gudesake, I wad be his wife,
Or else I wad kill him wi' sorrow;
So e'en to preserve the poor body in life,
I think I maun wed him to-morrow, to-morrow;
I think I maun wed him to-morrow.
Duration:
This clip is from
Featured in...
Works read by Phyllis Logan—The works of Robert Burns
All her recordings from the 250th anniversary project.
More clips from The works of Robert Burns
-
He Till't and She Till't
Duration: 00:17
-
The Heron Ballads : Wham will we send to London town
Duration: 02:16
-
Sic a wife as Willie's Wife
Duration: 01:17
-
To Robert Graham of Fintry Esq
Duration: 05:55