Celtic Lyrics Corner > Artists & Groups > Tannahill Weavers > Leaving St. Kilda > Last May A Braw Wooer

   
Leaving St. Kilda Last May A Braw Wooer
   
Credits: Robert Burns
   
Appears On: Leaving St. Kilda
   
Language: Scots-English
   

Lyrics:

Last May a braw wooer cam' down the lang glen
And sair wi' his love he did deave me
I said there was naethin' I hated like men
The deuce gae wi' him to believe me, believe me
The deuce gae wi' him to believe me

He spak o' the darts in my bonnie blue een
And vowed for my love he was diein'
I said he might die when he wanted for Jean
The Lord forgie me for liein', for liein'
The Lord forgie me for liein'

A weel-stocket mailin, himsel for the laird
And marriage off hand were his proffers
I never loot on that I kenned it or cared
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 de'il 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 tryste o' Dalgarnock
And wha but my fine fickle lover was there?
I glower'd as I'd seen a warlock, a warlock
I glower'd as I'd seen a warlock

But owre my left shouther I gied him a blink
Lest neebours might say I was saucy
My wooer, he capered as he'd been in drink
And vowed I was his dear lassie, dear lassie
And vowed I was his dear lassie

I spiered for my cousin fu' couthy and sweet
Gin she had recovered her hear'n
And how her new shoon fit her auld shackled 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 tomorrow, tomorrow
I think I maun wed him tomorrow