Complete Songs Of Robert Burns - online book

360+ songs with lyrics, sheet music, historical notes & glossary.

	338            TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS
	No. 351O heard ye of a silly harper? Tune: The Lochmaben harper Glenriddells MS., 1791.
	O, heard ye of a silly harper Liv'd long in Lochmaben town ? How he did gang to fair England               ) ,. To steal King Henry's wanton brown. ) But first he gaed to his gudewife Wi' a' the speed that he could thole :— 1 This wark,' quo' he, 'will never work ) ,. Without a mare that has a foal.'            ) Quo' she, ' thou has a gude grey mare That'll rin o'er hills baith low and hie ; Gae tak the grey mare in thy hand,        ) ». And leave the foal at hame wi' me.' j 'And tak a halter in thy hose, And o' thy purpose dinna fail, But wap it o'er the wanton's nose,         ) ,. And tie her to the grey mare's tail) * Syne ca' her out at yon back yeate, O'er moss and muir and ilka dale, For she'll ne'er let the wanton bite,        ) ,. Till she come hame to her ain foal.' ) So he is up to England gane, Even as fast as he can hie, Till he came to King Henry's yeate— ) ,. And wha was there but King Henry ? i 'Come in,' quo' he, 'thou silly blind harper, And of thy harping let me hear': ' O 1 by my sooth,' quo' the silly blind harper, ) ^. ' I'd rather hae stabling for my mare.'               i