The auld Wife beyont the Fire, pp.108-110.

[Tea-Table Miscellany Contents]

THere was a wife won’d in a glen, 

And she had daughters nine or ten, 

That sought the house baith but and ben, 

To find their mam a snishing. 

The auld wife beyont the fire

The auld wife aniest the fire

The auld wife aboon the fire

She died for lack of snishing

– 

II. 

Her mill into some hole had fawn, 

Whatrecks, quoth she, let it be gawn, 

For I maun ha’e a young goodman 

Shall furnish me with snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

III. 

Her eldest dochter said right bauld, 

Fy, mother, mind that now ye’re auld, 

And if ye with a yonker wald, 

He’ll waste away your snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

IV. 

The youngest dochter ga’e a shout, 

O mother dear! your teeth’s a’ out, 

Besides haff blind, you have the gout, 

Your mill can had nae snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

V. 

Ye lied, ye limmers, cries auld mump, 

For I ha’e baith a tooth and stump, 

And will nae langer live in dump, 

By wanting of my snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

VI. 

Thole ye, says Peg, that pauky slut, 

Mother, if you can crack a nut, 

Then we will a’ consent to it, 

That you shall have a snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

VII. 

The auld ane did agree to that, 

And they a pistol bullet gat; 

She powerfully began to crack, 

To won hersell a snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

VIII. 

Braw sport it was to see her chow’t, 

And ‘tween her gums sae squeez and row’t, 

Whilefrae her jaws the slaver flow’d; 

And ay she curs’d poor stumpy. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

IX. 

At last she ga’e a desperate squeez, 

Which brak the lang tooth by the neez, 

And syne poor stumpy was at ease, 

But she tint hopes of snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

X. 

She of the task began to tire, 

And frae her dochters did retire, 

Syne lean d her down ayont the fire, 

And died for lack of snishing. 

The auld wife, &c. 

– 

XI. 

Ye auld wives notice well this truth, 

Assoon as ye’re past mark of mouth, 

Ne’er do what’s only fit for youth, 

And leave aff thoughts of snishing: 

Else like this wife beyont the fire

Y’r bairns against you will conspire; 

Nor will ye get, unless ye hire 

A young man with your snishing

Old Songs with Additions

Note, Snishing in its literal meaning is snuff made of Tobacco; but in this song it means sometimes contentment, a husband, love, money, &c. 

Leave a Reply