| |
I
IT 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, | 5 |
| And blew into the floor; | |
| Quoth our goodman to our goodwife, | |
| ‘Gae out and bar the door.’— | |
| |
III
‘My hand is in my hussyfskap, | |
| Goodman, as ye may see; | 10 |
| An’ it shou’dna be barr’d this hundred year, | |
| It ’s no be barr’d for me.’ | |
| |
IV
They made a paction ’tween them twa, | |
| They made it firm and sure, | |
| That the first word whae’er shou’d speak, | 15 |
| 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. | 20 |
| |
VI
‘Now whether is this a rich man’s house, | |
| Or whether is it a poor?’ | |
| But ne’er a word wad ane o’ them speak, | |
| For barring of the door. | |
| |
VII
And first they ate the white puddings, | 25 |
| And then they ate the black. | |
| Tho’ muckle thought the goodwife to hersel’ | |
| Yet ne’er a word she spake. | |
| |
VIII
Then said the one unto the other, | |
| ‘Here, man, tak ye my knife; | 30 |
| Do ye tak aff the auld man’s beard, | |
| And I’ll kiss the goodwife.’— | |
| |
IX
‘But there ’s nae water in the house, | |
| And what shall we do than?’— | |
| ‘What ails ye at the pudding-broo, | 35 |
| That boils into the pan?’ | |
| |
X
O up then started our goodman, | |
| An angry man was he: | |
| ‘Will ye kiss my wife before my een, | |
| And sca’d me wi’ pudding-bree?’ | 40 |
| |
XI
Then up and started our goodwife, | |
| Gied three skips on the floor: | |
| ‘Goodman, you’ve spoken the foremost word! | |
| Get up and bar the door.’ | |
| |
