Hame Cam' Our Guidman at E'En.

page 11

Hame cam' our guidman at e'en,
And hame cam' he
And there he saw a luckle ¹ coat,
Where nae coat should be.
How cam' this coat here?
Hew can this be?
How cam' this coat here,
Withoat the have o' me?
A coat! [unclear: uo] she;
Ay, a coat, quo' he.
Ye auld blind dotard carle,
And blinder mat ye be!
It's but a pair o' blankets
My minnie ² sent to me;
Blankets! quo' he,
Ay, blankets, quo' she.
Far ha e I ridden,
And muckle ha'e I seen;
But buttons upon blankets
Saw I never nane!

Hame cam' our guidman at e'en,
And hame cam' he;
He spied a pair o' jack-boots,
Where nae jack-boots should be
What's this now, guidwife?
What's this I see?
How cam' thae boots here,
Without the leave o' me?
Boots, quo' she;
Ay, boots, quo* he;
Ye auld blind dotard carle,
And blinder mat ye be!
It's but a pair o' water-stoups,³
The cooper sent to me.
Water-stoups, quo' he,
Ay, water-stoups, quo' she.
Far ha'e I ridden,
And muckle ha e I seen;
But siller-spurs on watcr-stoups
Saw I never nane.

Hame cam' our guidman at e'en,
And haine cam' he;
And there he saw a siller sword,
Where nae sword should be.
What's this now, guidwife?
What's this I see?
Oh, how cam' this sword here,
Without the leave o' me?
A sword, quo' she,
Ay, a sword, quo' he.
Ye auld blind dotard carle,
And blinder mat ye be!
It's but a parritch-stick ⁴
My minnie sent to me.
A parritch-stick! quo' he
Ay, a parritch-stick, quo' [unclear: so]
Weel, far ha'e I ridden,
And muckle ha'e I seen;
But a tassal on a parritch-stick
Saw I never nane.

Ben the house gaed our guidman.
And ben gaed he;
And there he spied a sturdy max
Where nae man should be.
How cam' this man here?
How can this be?
How cam' this man here,
Without the leave o' me?
A man! quo' she,
Ay, a mau! quo' he.
Oh! hooly, hooly,⁵ our guidmaa,
An' dinna angry be,
It's just eur cousin M'Intosh,
Come frae the north countrie.
Our cousin M'Intosh! quo' he,
Aye, our cousin M'Intosh, quo she.
We'll be a' hanged and quartered Kate,
And that you'll soon see,
Here's a Hieland rebel i' the house,
Without the leave o' me.