Lots of versions here. Seems to me that the late Willie Scott (b. 1897), who learned the song from his mother, should get a mention. Willie, who was born into a shepherding family in the Borders, quite conceivably attended the Copshawholm Fair before it was last held in April 1912. (It was held on the second Friday of April or the Friday before the 17th of May). It was actually called the Castleton Hiring Fair. Myself, I finish with the spare four lines substituted into in the last whole verse instead of as shown Jack COPSHAWHOLM FAIR On a Friday it fell in the month of april Ower the hills cam the morn wi her blithesomest smile The folks were aa thranging the roads everywhere Makin haste tae be in at the Copshawholm Fair They were seen comin in frae the mountains and glens Baith rosie faced lassies and strappin young men Wi a joy in their hairts and unburdened wi care When meetin auld freens at the Copshawholm Fair 'Tis a day when auld courtships are often renewed Disputes set aside or more hotly pursued When Barleycorn Johnny sees fit tae declare Is law for he's king at Copshawholm Fair There are lads for the lassies and toys for the bairns There's blin' ballad singers and folk wi nae airms A fiddler is here an a thimbler is there Wi nutmen and spicemen at Copshawholm Fair There's pethers and pothers and gingerbread stans Peepshows, puff and darts an great caravans There's fruit frae a nations exhibited there And kale plants frae Hawick at the Copshawholm Fair Noo aboot the hirin if ye want tae hear tell Ye shall ken it as far as a've seen it masel That whit wages are gien, it's ill tae declare Sae muckle they vary at Copshawholm Fair Jist yin a hae seen, a strappin young quine Heard her speir whit her wage wis an whaur she had been Whit work she'd been daein an how lang she'd been there Whit wages she wanted at Copshawholm Fair At first the young lassie a wee while stood dumb She blushed an she scrappit her fit on the grun At last she took hairt and did stoutly declare A'll hae five pund and ten at Copshawholm Fair Says he "But ma lass that's a vera big wage' And turnin about as he'd been in a rage, says "A'll gie ye five pund, but A'll gie ye nae mair A think ye maun tak it this Copshawholm Fair He held oot a shillin tae arle the bit wench In case it should enter her noddle tae flinch She grab at it mutterin 'A shoulda haen mair But yet a will tak it at Copshawholm Fair Noo the hirin wis dune and aff they a sprang They've run tae the bar-room tae jine in the thrang "I never will lie wi my mammy nae mair" The fiddler plays briskly at Copshawhom Fair There's one in the corner sits drinkin his gill Another beside him sits sippin his yill Anithir is strippit an swearin richt sair Room will ye no gie me at the Copshawholm Fair Noo this is the fashion they thus passed the day Till nicht comes at last and they ellie away But some are sae sick that they canna dae mair Wi dancin and fechtin at Copshawholm Fair
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