Lyr Add: The Flay Craw; or, Pee Dee's Mishap

Subject: Lyr Add: The Flay Craw; or, Pee Dee's Mishap
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 22 Jun 04 - 10:09 AM

The Flay Craw;Or, Pee Dee's Mishap.

Tune-"Warkworth Feast."

Just as the darkness o' the neet
Began te hide a' things frae seet,
The Skinners' Burn a keel went past,
Wi' sails stritched wide, an' bendin' mast.
Strite as a craw whe myed her way,
An' a' the keelmen thowt that they
Frae Leminton wad not be lang,
An' blist the wind that blew se strang.

Rite fal, etc.

But gud luck niver hes much last;
The Meedis Hoose they'd just gyen past,
When round a boot, te thor dismay,
The wind it crept-then slunk away.
As oney keelmen can, they swore,
An' cursed what they praised just afore;
One nipt the poor Pee Dee's bit neck,
Anuther kicked him 'cross the deck

Rite fal, etc.

'Twas noo pitch dark' an' still thor lay
Two gud lang mile te gan: so they
A' lowered huik wi' little glee,
An' myed the Pee Dee tyek one, tee.
But suen, poor sowl! his huik gat fast
(Mind, game he was-ay, te the last);
He pulled an' twisted, till the keel
Left huik behint-an' lad as weel!

Rite fal, etc.

They niver missed him till close hyem,
Then shooted ov him biv his nyem.
Ne answer com; they sowt aboot,
But gyen he was, withoot a doot.
The skipper shuk his heed, an' said,
"The yung imp['s drooned, aw's very flaid;
O' fault wor clear: aw'm shure he had
An angel's life wi' huz, poor lad."

Rite fal, etc.

'Twas summer time, an' suen the morn
Broke on the Pee Dee, a' forlorn;
But sowlger-like, tho' deed almost,
The poor lad stuck true tiv his post.
He watched the shore wi' watery eye
For folks that might be passin' by.
At last wi' joy a man he spied,
Wi' sumthin' hugg'd close tiv his side.

Rite fal, etc.

This chep (it turned out) tell'd had been
That sum big bords had there been seen;
So, wiv his gun, he sowt the spot,
For fond was Clarky iv a shot,
An' hopeful he was 'boot his luck,
Till he saw the Pee Dee on the huik;
Then, "Gox!" he cried, "for me te trick,
They've stuck that flay-craw on the stick!

Rite fal, etc.

"But dash, they'll get thor rags ne mair;
Te blaw them doon aw'll tyek gud care!"
He aimed and pulled-gud luck, a snap-
Just then the laddie waved his cap,
An' shooted, "Hey! hey! canny man!
Be sharp an' save us if ye can:
Aw'm nearly deed-aw'm stiff an' sair!"-
But lang the chep stud gyepin' there.

Rite fal, etc.

When a' his ghostly doots were gyen,
An' he saw the lad was flesh an' byen,
Sharp as he cud, a boat he sowt,
An' suen ashore Pee Dee he browt.
As. weel he might, the lad was pleased
Beyond a' boonds at bein' released.
He thenked the chep, se timely sent,
An', wiv his huik, off hyem he went.

Rite fal, etc.

-John Taylor, 1872