The Merry Muses of Caledonia/Can ye no let me be?
CAN YE NO LET ME BE?
Tune—"I hae laid a Herring in Saut."
An old song in metre characteristic of old compositions of the kind.
There lived a wife in Whistle Cockpen,
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be,
She brewed good ale for gentlemen,
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
The night blew sair wi' wind and weet,
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
She shewed the traveller ben to sleep,
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
She saw a sight below his sark.
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
She wished she had it for a merk,
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
She saw a sight aboon his knee,
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
She would not wanted it for three.
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
O where live ye, and what's yer trade?
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
I am a thresher gude, he said.
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
And that's my flail, and working graith.
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
And noble tools, quoth she, by my faith!
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
I would gie ye a browst, the best I hae,
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
For a good night's work with tools like thae,
And aye she waggit it wantonly.
I would sell the hair frae aff my tail,
Will ye no, can ye no, let me be?
To buy our Andrew sic a flail,
And aye she waggit it wantonly.