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THE BONNIE WEE WINDOW

1. There was a young lass, and her name it was Nell,
In a bonnie wee hoose wi' her grannie did dwell;
The hoose it was wee, but the windows were less,
It had but four panes, and ane wanted gless.
    'Twas a bonnie wee window, a sweet little window,
    The bonniest window that ever ye saw.

2. For this broken pane they a purpose did fin',
To lat onything oot, or tak onything in;
But to Nelly it served for a purpose maist dear,
For her lovers at nicht cam' a-courtin' here here,
    At this bonnie wee window, etc.

3. It happened ae nicht grannie gaed to her bed,
That Johnnie, the brawest lad young Nelly had,
Cam' far ower the hills his dear lassie to see,
And wi' high expectations there planted was he,
    At this bonnie wee window, etc.

4. But the fond, youthfu' pair hadna got muckle said,
When grannie cried, "Nell, come awa' to your bed!"
"I'm comin', dear grannie," young Nelly did say,
"So, fare-ye-weel, Johnnie, for I maun away
    Frae this bonnie wee window," etc.

5. "Oh! Nelly, dear lass, dinna tak' it amiss,
But before ye gae 'wa' ye maun grant me a kiss,"
So aff gaed his bannet, but gudeness kens hoo
He managed sae quickly to get his head through
    This bonnie wee window, etc.

6. A kiss Johnnie got, and sweet was the smack,
But for his dear life couldna get his head back.
He ruggit, he tuggit, he bawled, and he cursed
Till Nell's sides wi' lauchin were baith like to burst,
    At his head in the window, etc.

7. Noo when the auld grannie did hear the uproar,
She rax'd for the poker, syne ran to the door,
And ower Johnnie's back sic a thump she laid on,
Anither sic like would have crack'd his backbone.
    And his head in the window, etc.

8. A' burning wi' shame, and smarting wi' pain,
He ruggit and tuggit wi' micht and wi' main,
Till the jambs they gaed way and the lintel did break,
Though still the best hauf o't stuck fast to his neck.
    'Twas an awfu' wee window, etc.

9. As soon as the window in ruins did lie,
Auld grannie let out such a horrible cry,
It alarm'd a' the neighbours—lad, lass, man, and wife,
And caused poor Johnnie to rin for his life,
    Frae the bonnie wee window, etc.

10. O'er hill and o'er dale he pursued his way hame,
Like a bear that was hunted, ne'er lookin' behin';
And the neighbours they follow'd wi' clamour and squeals,
While some of them hunted their dogs at his heels.
    As he ran frae the window, etc.

11. When Johnnie got hame, wi' a hatchet did he
Frae his wooden gravat syne set himsel' free;
But he vow'd that the deil micht tak' him for his ain
If he e'er kissed a lass through a window again,
    Be she ever sae bonnie, or live wi' her grannie,
    Or the bonniest wee lassie that ever he saw.


More notes to come, maybe.