I moved your request over here, because part of it has already been answered. The song is not listed in the Traditional Ballad Index, but it is Roud Number 1877 (click). Roud has a number of entries, including many titled "The Fattest Man in the Forty-Twa." The Digital Tradition version is from The Scottish Folksinger by Norman Buchan and Peter Hall, page 130. The Scottish Folksinger version is quite different. I've put the major differences in bold:
THE STOUTEST MAN IN THE FORTY TWA
Behold, I am a soldier bold, and only twenty-five years old;
A braver warrior never was seen fae Inverness tae Gretna Green.
When I was young my father said he wid pit me tae a decent trade,
But I didnae like that job at a', sae I went and joined the Forty-Twa.
CHORUS
The wind may blaw, the cock may craw,
The rain may rain, and the snaw may snaw
But ye winna frichten Jock McGraw,
He's the stoutest man in the Forty Twa
The sergeant when he 'listed me, he winked his e'e and then says he,
"A man like you so stout and tall can ne'er be killed by a cannon ball!"
The captain then when he cam' roon, he looked me up and he looked me doon,
Then turning tae the sergeant said, "Awa' ye scamp, ye've 'listed the bleachfield oot on tramp.
At oor last fecht across the sea, the general he sends efter me
Fan I gaed there and my big gun, of course the battle it was won.
The enemy a' ran awa', they were feart at the legs o'Jock McGraw
A man like me so tall and neat, ye ken yersel' he could niver be beat.
The King then held a grand review, we numbered a thoosand and sixty-two;
The kiltie lads cam' marchin' past and Jock McGraw cam' marchin' last
The royal party grabbed their sticks an' a' began tae stretch their necks
Cries the King tae the Colonel, " Upon my soul, I took that man for a telegraph pole."
From The Scottish Folksinger, Buchan and Hall - from the singing of John Strachan.
for comparison, here are the lyrics from the Digital Tradition, which omits the first verse. Note the Loch Ness monster line:
THE STOUTEST MAN IN THE FORTY TWA
cho: The wind may blaw, the cock may craw,
The rain may rain, and the snaw may snaw
But ye winna frichten Jock McGraw,
He's the stoutest man in the Forty Twa
The sergeant when he 'listed me, he winked his e'e and then says he,
"A man like you so stout and tall can ne'er be killed by a cannon ball!"
The captain then when he cam' roon, he looked me up and he looked me doon,
And said, said he, " I'll tak a guess--Ye must be the beastie o' Loch Ness!"
At oor last fecht across the sea, the general he sends efter me
Fan I gaed there and my big gun, of course the battle it was won.
The enemy a' ran awa', they were feart at the legs o'Jock McGraw
A man like me so tall and neat, ye ken yersel' he could niver be beat.
The King then held a grand review, we numbered a thoosand and sixty-two;
The kiltie lads cam' marchin' past and Jock McGraw cam' marchin' last
The royal party grabbed their sticks an' a' began tae stretch their necks
Cries the King tae the Colonel, " Upon my soul, I took that man for a
telegraph pole."
From The Scottish Folksinger, Buchan and Hall
@Scottish @Army
filename[ STOUT42
TUNE FILE: STOUT42
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
Recording by Robin Hall & Jimmie MacGregor:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF5Ve500rFE