The Oxford Book of Ballads - online book

A Selection Of The Best English Lyric Ballads Chosen & Edited by Arthur Quiller-Couch

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172. Get up and Bar the Door
i
I T fell about the Martinmas time, And a gay time it was then, When our goodwife got puddings to make, And she's boil'd them in the pan.
II
The wind sae cauld blew south and north,
And blew into the floor ; Quoth our goodman to our goodwife,
' Gae out and bar the door.'—
in
' My hand is in my hussyfskap,
Goodman, as ye may see; An' it shou'dna be barr'd this hundred year,
It's no be barr'd for me.'
rv
They made a paction 'tween them twa,
They made it firm and sure, That the first word whae'er shou'd speak,
Shou'd rise and bar the door.
v
Then by there came two gentlemen,
At twelve o' clock at night, And they could neither see house nor hall,
Nor coal nor candle-light.
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