UP IN THE MORNIN' EARLY.*

BURNS. Air-" Cold and raw," or "Up in the mornin' early."

CAULD blaws the wind frae east to west,

The drift is driving sairly;

Sae loud and shrill's I hear the blast,

I'm sure it's winter fairly.

Up in the mornin's no for me,

Up in the mornin' early;

When a' the hills are cover'd wi' snaw,
I'm sure it's winter fairly.

The birds sit chittering in the thorn,
A' day they fare but sparely;

And lang's the night frae e'en to morn

I'm sure it's winter fairly.

Up in the mornin's no for me,

Up in the mornin' early;

When a' the hills are cover'd wi' snaw,

I'm sure it's winter fairly.

The chorus of this song is old, and with the melody forms one of the earliest specimens of Scottish poetry and music. The rest of the song is founded by Burns upon the original lyric, of which it is a striking improvement. A convivial song with the same title, but in no other respect resembling it, appears in another part of this collection.

CAULD blaws the wind frae north to south, The drift is drifting sairly;

The sheep are cowrin' i' the heuch;

Oh, sirs, it's winter fairly!

Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;

I'd rather gae supperless to my bed
Than rise in the mornin' early.

Loud roars the blast amang the woods,
And tirls the branches barely;
On hill and house hear how it thuds;
The frost is nipping sairly.
Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;

To sit a' nicht wad better agree

Than rise in the mornin' early.

The sun peeps owre yon southland hills
Like ony timorous carlie,

Just blinks a wee, then sinks again;
And that we find severely.

Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;

When snaw blaws in at the chimley-cheek,
Wha'd rise in the mornin' early?

Nae linties lilt on hedge or bush,—
Poor things, they suffer sairly;
In cauldrife quarters a' the nicht,
A' day they feed but sparely.
Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;

A pennyless purse I wad rather dree
Than rise in the mornin' early.

A cosie house and canty wife

Aye keep a body cheerly;

And pantries stow'd wi' meat and drink,
They answer unco rarely.

But up in the mornin'-na, na, na !
Up in the mornin' early;

The gowans maun glent on bank and brae,
When I rise in the mornin' early.

Gin a body meet a body
Coming through the glen ;
Gin a body kiss a body,

Need the warld ken?

Oh, Jenny's a' wat, poor body,
Jenny's seldom dry;

She draiglet a' her petticoatie
Coming through the rye.

NEW STAGE VERSION.

GIN a body meet a body
Comin' through the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body cry?

Every lassie has her laddie,
Ne'er a ane hae I;

Yet a' the lads they smile at me
When comin' through the rye.
Amang the train there is a swain
I dearly lo'e mysell;

But whaur his hame or what his name,
I dinna care to tell.

Gin a body meet a body

Comin' frae the town,
Gin a body greet a body

Need a body frown?
Every lassie has her laddie,

Ne'er a ane hae I;

Yet a' the lads they smile at me
When comin' through the rye.
Amang the train there is a swain
I dearly lo'e mysell;

But whaur his hame or what his name,
I dinna care to tell.

BIDE YE YET.

ANONYMOUS. From Herd's Collection, 1769. Air-"The wayward wife."

GIN I had a wee house an' a canty wee fire,
An' a bonnie wee wifie to praise and admire,
Wi' a bonnie wee yardie aside a wee burn,
Fareweel to the bodies that yaumer and mourn.
Sae bide ye yet, an' bide ye yet;

Ye little ken what's to betide ye yet;
Some bonnie wee body may fa' to my lot,
An' I'll aye be canty wi' thinkin' o't.

When I gang a-field, an' come hame at e'en,
I'll get my wee wifie fu' neat an' fu' clean,
Wi' a bonnie wee bairnie upon her knee,
That 'll cry papa or daddy to me.
Sae bide ye yet, &c.

An' if there should ever happen to be
A difference atween my wee wifie and me,
In hearty good humour, although she be teased,
I'll kiss her an' clap her until she be pleased.
Sae bide ye yet, &c.

THE BRISK YOUNG LAD.

ANONYMOUS. Herd's Collection, 1776. Air-" Bung your eye in the morning."

THERE cam' a young man to my daddie's door,

My daddie's door, my daddie's door;

There cam' a young man to my daddie's door,
Cam' seeking me to woo.

And wow, but he was a braw young lad,
A brisk young lad, and a braw young lad;
And wow, but he was a braw young lad,
Cam' seeking me to woo.