Auld Man tae the Oak Tree
1.
Says the auld man
Tae the oak tree,
"Young and lusty was I
When I kenned thee.
"I was young an lusty,
I was fair an clear,
Young an lusty was I
Mony a lang year.
"But sair failed am I,
Sair failed noo,
Sair failed am I
Sin I kenned you."
2.
Young and souple was I, when I lap the dyke;
Now I'm auld and frail, I douna step a syke.
Buy broom &c.
Young and souple was I, when at Lautherslack,
Now I'm auld and frail, and lie at Nansie's back.
Buy broom &c.
Had she gien me butter, when she gae me bread,
I wad lookit baulder, wi' my beld head.
Buy broom &c.
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(1) Montgomerie SNR (1946), 126 (no. 162), pretty much as
in Ritson, Gammer Gurton's Garland ("Says t' auld man
ti't oak tree," etc.). Bell RNB (1812) 257, has a
slightly fuller version, thus:
I was young and lusty,
I was fair and clear;
I was young and lusty,
Many a long year.
Sair fail'd hinny,
Sair fail'd now;
Sair fail'd hinny,
Sin' I kend thou.
When I was young and lusty,
I could loup a dyke;
But now at five and sixty,
Cannot do the like.
Sair fail'd hinny,
Sair fail'd now,
Sair fail'd hinny,
Sin' I kend thou.
Then said the awd man
To the oak tree;
Sair fail'd is 'e,
Sin' I kend thee.
Sair fail'd hinny,
Sair fail'd now;
Sair fail'd hinny,
Sin' I kend thou.
Sir Cuthbert Sharpe (Bishoprick Garland, 1834, slightly
edited--e.g. 3.3 Sair fail'd is I) says "This song is `far
north;' it is admitted in Bell's Northern Bards, and may very
possibly belong to the bishoprick, where it is well known."
Slightly fuller in Bruce and Stokoe (1882), 92, with music;
whence Whittaker (1940), 63.
(2) Kinsley, Burns 913-14, no. 626 B; tune, "Buy Broom
Besoms" (q.v.). A traditional version collected by
Burns. St. 1 comparable to Bruce & Stokoe's 2 (not
counting chorus):
When aw was young and lusty,
Aw cud lowp a dyke;
But now aw'm awd an' stiff,
Aw can hardly step a syke.
MS