Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Francis T. Palgrave, ed. (1824–1897). The Golden Treasury. 1875.

Robert Burns

CLIII. Duncan Gray

DUNCAN GRAY cam’ here to woo,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t;

On blythe Yule night when we were fou,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t:

Maggie coost her head fu’ high,

Look’d asklent and unco skeigh,

Gart poor Duncan stand abeigh;

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t!

Duncan fleech’d and Duncan pray’d

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t;

Meg was deaf as Ailsa Craig;

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t:

Duncan sigh’d baith out and in,

Grat his een baith bleer’t and blin’,

Spak o’ lowpin ower a linn!

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t!

Time and chance are but a tide,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t;

Slighted love is sair to bide,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t:

Shall I, like a fool, quoth he,

For a haughty hizzie dee?

She may gae to—France for me!

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t!

How it comes let doctors tell,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t;

Meg grew sick—as he grew hale,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t:

Something in her bosom wrings,

For relief a sigh she brings!

And oh, her een, they spak sic things!

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t!

Duncan was a lad o’ grace,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t;

Maggie’s was a piteous case,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t:

Duncan could na be her death,

Swelling pity smoor’d his wrath;

Now they’re crouse and canty baith,

Ha, ha, the wooing o’t!