Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Gudewife Stood on a Stane

Gudewife Stood on a Stane

Gudewife Stood on a Stane

The auld guidwife stood on a stane,
Awa i the craft her leefu lane,
And cried on her kye, her kye, tae come hame,
And ca'd them ilka ane by name.

Better kye there's nane i the braes,
Brownie for butter, Brandie for cheese,
Hawkie for milk, Hornie for whey--
I wat fu weel I'm prood o ma kye.

What hauds the hoose i saip and saut,
What buys the houps tae brew the maut,
And mony a needfu thing forby?
Atweel it's juist ma fower guid kye.
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Montgomerie SC (1948), 50 (no. 49); from Angus.  Cf. "There
was an auld man stood on a stane".
This is probably a memorial version of a poem by Alex. Laing
called "The Auld Gudewife an' her Four Gude Kye", in Whistle-
Binkie (ed. of 1890, I.343; punctuation regularised):

The auld gudewife gade out at e'en,
An' owre the craft her leefu' lane,
An' sought her kye and cried them hame,
An' ca'd them ilka ane by name.
Come hame, ye jauds! the byre is clean,
Your lair is made o' the breckans green,
An' the yellow clover fills your sta';
Come hame, ye jauds!--come here awa'.
   Come hame, &c.

What hauds the house i' saip an' saut,
What buys the houps to brew the maut,
An' mony a needfu' thing forbye?
Atweel it's just my four gude kye.

Better kye there's nae i' the braes,
Brownie for butter, Brandie for cheese,
Hawkie for milk, Hornie for whey;
I wat fu' weel I'm proud o' my kye.
   Better kye, &c.
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MS