THE OVERGATE

O, as I gaed up the Overgate
I met a bonnie wee lass;
She winked to me wi' the tail o' her e'e
As I was a-walkin' past.

Refrain:
Wi' my toorina, lilt fa laddie,
Lilt fa laddie toorinee.

Noo, I asked her if she'd tak' a glass,
Says I, "I'm owre fae Auchtermuchty
Tae the market wi' some swine."

I took her tae a sittin'-room
A wee bit doon the burn,
It's true what Robbie Burns said,
A man was made to mourn.

For hot pies and porter
She ate them by galore;
She ate and drank as much as serve
An elephant for a year.

Noo, then we baith gaed up the stair
To hae a contented sleep;
When an awfu' knock cam' tae the door
At the breakin' o' daylight.

It was a big fat bobbie,
He got me by the tap o' the hair;
And he gied me the whirlyjig
Richt doon to the fit o' the stair.

Noo, I gaed up the stair again,
Ay, seekin' oot my claes;
"Ye'll better get oot o' this, young man,
Or I'll gie ye sixty days."

But I says, "I've lost my waistcoat,
My watch-chain and my purse!"
Says she, "I've lost my maidenheid
And that's a damn sicht worse!"

Noo, there is a maid upon oor farm,
She is a dainty dame;
She milks the kye at early morn,
Gin dinnertime it's cream.

There is a cattleman on the farm,
Will Garthill is his name;
And he'll tak' ilka pint you'll gie 'm,
But he will pay for nane.

There is a man upon the farm
He has a wooden leg;
And he dolts aboot fae barn tae byre
Suckin' ilka egg.

Jim Carroll