Broadside ballad entitled 'John Tamson's Cart'

Transcription

J0HN   TAMSON'S

CART.

This Popular Song can always be had at the Poet's Box.
224 Overgate, Duudee.

Auld John Tamson rade hame frae the fair

Late, late on o cauld winter night O!
He had toomed his three coggies, an' mebbe ane mair,

Nae ferlie, his head it was light O !
But his horse kenn'd the gate, sae John lay in the cart;

Sleeping as sound as a tap, O!
An' the horse draigled on tho' the sleet and the clart,

While Jonnie lay takin' his nap O!

At length, at the foot of a steep an' stey brae,

Auld Bawsie drew breath an' stood still O!
An' dozin' fell driming o' sweet scented hay,

While Jock dremt o' rich reamin yill, O !
John Tamson's guidwife cam' her liege lord tae seek,

Wi' a bowit that shone like a star, O!
For, though she had lectured him week after week,

He grew aye the langer the waur, O!

My certie, quo' she, "but I'll play him a fleg,

As sure as Jean Tamson's my name, O
Sae frae the cart trams she lowsed the auld naig,

An' slippit it strauoht awa' hame, O
The wind it blew bleak, and John Tamson awoke,

An' he hyted an' hupped in vain, O
He ferlied what gar'd his horse Stan' like a stick,

Till he graipit an' felt it was gane, O.

Syne back Me the toll in a harry he rau,

An' the tollman he wauked in a fricht, O
"Can I be John Tamson ? come tell me, guidman,

Hae John Tamson passed by the nicht, O ?
"Guid help us man Jock, is't yoursel' or your ghost ?

The tollman he cried wi' a start, O
"Gin 1 be John Tamson, a horse I hae lost,

But gin no, I ha'e found a cart,O.

John Tamson grew sober, John Tamson ran hame

Skelp, skelping thro' dub an' thro' mire O
He was met at the door by the couthy auld dame,

Wha luggit him straucht tae the byre, O
There his horse stood fu' snug, "Ay puir Bawsie, quo' she

He eat an' drink only his fill, O                  

"Oh quo' Jock, "but he hadna a cronie like me,

Syne "Here's t'ya owre a drap yill O.

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