Feckless Willy

track 2 on Mike Tickell's CD:
Warksburn: Songs of Northumberland and its Borders (1994)

Feckless Willy is by Cumbrian dialect poet Robert Anderson

Wee Willy dwells on yonder hill
And Willy he has daughters twee      [two]
But nought could feckless willy dee
To get them sweethearts will you see.

Meg, she looks both reet and left    [right]
Her eyes they bore a body through
And Jen is deef and dumb and daft
And ne'er a man comes there to woo.

The neighbours winked, the neighbours jeered,
The neighbours ____ed on them with scorn
And many's the wicked trick they played
On Meg and Jen baith neet and morn       [both, night]

As Willy he went ae day to walk,
He kicked at summat with his shoe
And Willy glowered and Willy scowled
'Gottus [?]' quoth he 'what have we now?'

Willy's counted out six score pound
And back he's run with nimble heel
And while's the hour is sure akeekt [?]
As though he's dealing way the deal.

And Willy he's bought a reet snug hoose
And Willy he's bought a bit a' land
And Meg and Jen are trig and pruce [?]
Since he the yellow pokey [?] found.

Nay meer the neighbours wink and jeer
But all shake hands with him, Ah trow   [I think]
And ilk yen talks of William's gear
For Willy's changed to William now.

And some come East and some come West
As men come many a mile to woo
And Meg looks straight and Jen has sense
Aye, we all can see what gear can do.

Ye rich men, aye, ye lie ba reet
Ye poor men, aye, ye lie be ran
Let wise men say what e'er they like
It's money makes the mare te gan.

CD notes say that Mike Tickell learned the song from his father, whose family was Cumbrian.