Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Harp of Renfrewshire

135
This bonnet, tliat theekit his wonderfu' head,
Was his shelter in winter, in summer his shade ;
And, at kirk or at market, or bridals, I ween,
A braw gawcier bonnet there never was seen.
Wi' a round rosy tap, like a miickle blackboyd,
It was sloiich'd just a kenning on either hand side:
Some maintain'd it was black, some maintain'd it was blue,
It had something o' baith as a body may trow.
But, in sooth, I assvire you, for ought that I saw,
Still his bonnet had naething uncommon ava ;
Tho' the haill parish talk'd o' Eab Roryson's bonnet,
'Twas a' for the marvellous head that was in it.
That head — let it rest — it is now in the mools,
Though in life a' the warld beside it were fools ;
Yet o' what kind o' wisdom his head was possest,
Nane e'er kenn'd but himsel', sae there's nane that will miss't.
XXXVIII.
THE NEER-DO-WEEL.*
Come hame to your lingels, ye ne'er-do-weel loon,
You're the king o' the dyvours, the talk o' the town,
Sae soon as the Munonday morning comes in,
Your wearifu' daidling again maun begin.
Gudewife, you're a skillet, your tongue's just a bell,
To the peace o' gude fallows it rings the death-knell,
But clacli till ye deafen auld Barnaby's mill.
The souter shall aye ha'e his Munonday's yill.
* The first stanza is by Tannahill, tlic others were afterwards written by
Alexander Rodger.