Scornfu’ Nansy, pp.21-22.

[Tea-Table Miscellany Contents]

NAnsy to the green wood gane, 

To hear the gowdspink chat’ring, 

And Willie he has followed her, 

To gain her love by flat’ring: 

But a’ that he cou’d say or do, 

She geck’d and scorned at him; 

And ay when he began to woo, 

She bade him mind wha gat him. 

– 

What ails ye at my dad, quoth he, 

My minny or my aunty? 

With crowdy mowdy they fed me, 

Lang-kail and ranty-tanty: 

With bannocks of good barly meal, 

Of thae there was right plenty, 

With chapped stocks fou butter’d well; 

And was not that right dainty? 

– 

Altho’ my father was nae laird, 

‘Tis daffin to be vaunty, 

He keepit ay a good kail-yard, 

A ha’ house and a pantry: 

A good blew bonnet on his head, 

Ån owrlay ‘bout his cragy; 

And ay until the day he died, 

He rade on good shanks nagy. 

– 

Now wae and wander on your snout, 

Wad ye hae bonny Nansy? 

Wad ye compare ye’r fell to me, 

A docken till a tansie? 

I have a wooer of my ain, 

They ca’ him souple Sandy, 

And well I wat his bonny Mou 

Is sweet like sugar-candy. 

– 

Wow Nansy, what needs a this din? 

Do I not ken this Sandy? 

I’m sure the chief of a’ his kin 

Was Rab the beggar randy: 

His minny Meg upo’ her back 

Bare baith him and his billy; 

Will he compare a nasty pack 

To me your winsome Willy? 

– 

My gutcher left a good braid sword, 

Tho’ it be auld and rusty, 

Yet ye may tak it on my word, 

It is baith stout and trusty; 

And if I can but get it drawn, 

Which will be right uneasy, 

I shall lay baith my lugs in pawn, 

That he shall get a heezy. 

– 

Then Nansy turn’d her round about, 

And said, did Sandy hear ye, 

Ye wadna miss to get a Clout, 

I ken he disna fear ye: 

Sae had ye’r Tongue and say nae mair, 

Set somewhere else your fancy; 

For as lang’s Sandy’s to the fore, 

Ye never shall get Nansy. 

– Old Songs.