THE WEARY PUND O' TOW

The weary pund, the weary pund, [pound]
The weary pund o' tow; [yarn]
I think my wife will end her life
Before she spin her tow.

I bought my wife a stane o' lint [stone, flax]
As gude as e'er did grow; [good]
And a' that she has made o' that,
Is ae poor pund o' tow. [one]

There sat a bottle in a bole, [niche]
Beyond the ingle lowe, [chimney flame]
And aye she took the tither souk [other suck]
To drouk the stowrie tow. [drench, dusty]

Quoth I, 'For shame, ye dirty dame,
Gae spin your tap o' tow!' [bunch]
She took the rock, and wi' a knock [distaff]
She brak it o'er my pow. [pate]

At last her feet--I sang to see't--
Gaed foremost o'er the knowe; [went, hill]
And or I wad anither jad, [ere, wed]
I'll wallop in a tow. [kick, rope]