Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Songs of Scotland prior to Burns

THE MUCKING O' GEORDIE'S BYRE.
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It ne'er was my fath - er'
will, Nor yet my
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mother's de - sire.
That
e'er I should fyle
my
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fing-ers Wi' the mucking o' Geor - die's byre.
The mucking o' Geordie's byre,
And the sho'eling the gruip x sae clean,
Has garred me weet my cheeks,
And greet wi' baith my een.
It ne'er was my father's will,
Nor yet my mother's desire,
That e'er I should fyle my fingers
Wi' the mucking o' Geordie's byre.
The mouse is a merry beast,
The moudiewort 2 wants the een,
But the warld shall ne'er get wit,
Sae merry as we hae been.
This song, which appeared in Herd's Collection, is supposed
to have been composed at a much earlier period on a mesalliance
formed by a young lady of rank — a baronet's daughter — with
a young peasant ; and tradition adds that she had subsequently
occasion, more than is even usual in such cases, to lament her
folly, as her husband used her ill. The air is a favourite, and
various other songs have been written for it, but none of much
merit.
1 The sewer of the cow-house.
The mole.