"Officially, if trying to sell, they would be a "hawker" and notices on gates do read "No Hawkers", although I don't recall ever having heard the term in oral usage."

COME A' YE TRAMPS AN' HAWKERS

Come a' ye tramps an' hawkers an' gaitherers o' blaw,
That tramps the country roun' an' roun', come listen ane an' a'
I'll tell tae you a rovin' tale an' sichts that I hae seen
Far up into the snowy north and south by Gretna Green.

I hiv seen the high Ben Nevis away towerin' to the moon,
I've been by Crieff and Callander an' roun' by boonie Doune,
And by the Nethy's silv'ry tides and places ill tae ken
Far up into the snowy north lies Urquhart's bonnie glen.

Aftimes I've lauched into mysel' when I'm trudgin' on the road,
Wi' a bag o' blaw upon my back, my face as broon's a tod,
Wi' lumps o' cakes an' tattie scones an' cheese an' braxy ham
Nae thinkin' whaur I'm comin' fae nor whaur I'm gaun tae gang.

I'm happy in the summer time beneath the bright blue sky
Nae thinkin' in the mornin' at nicht whaur I've tae lie.
Barns or byres or anywhere or oot among the hay
And if the weather does permit I'm happy every day.

O Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond has a' been seen by me
The Dee, the Don, the Deveron that hurries into the sea,
Dunrobin Castle by the way I nearly had forgot
An' aye the rickles o' cairn marks the Hoose o' John o' Groat.

I'm up an' roun' by Gallowa' or doon aboot Stranraer,
Ma business leads me anywhere, sure I travel near an' far,
I've got a rovin' notion, there's nothing what I loss
An' a' my day's my daily fare and what'll pey my doss.

I think I'll go tae Paddy's land, I'm makin' up my mind,
For Scotland's greatly altered now, sure I canna raise the win'
But I will trust in providence, if providence will prove true
An' I will sing of Erin's Isle when I come back to you.





As sung by Jimmy MacBeath on Topic LP 12T173, "Wild Rover No More", and on Collector EP JES10, "Come A' Ye Tramps And Hawkers".