That they hae gentle forms an' meet,
A man wi' half a look may see;
An' gracefu' airs, an' faces sweet,
An' waving curls aboon the bree;
An' smiles as soft as the young rose-bud,
An' e'en sae pauky, bright, an' rare,
Wad lure the laverock frae the clud--
But, laddie, seek to ken nae mair!
O, the woman folk, &c.

Even but this night, nae farther gane,
The date is neither lost nor lang,
I tak ye witness ilka ane,
How fell they fought, and fairly dang.
Their point they 've carried right or wrang,
Without a reason, rhyme, or law,
An' forced a man to sing a sang,
That ne'er could sing a verse ava.
O, the woman folk! O, the woman folk!
But they hae been the wreck o' me;
O, weary fa' the women folk,
For they winna let a body be!


[55] The air of this song is my own. It was first set to music by
Heather, and most beautifully set too. It was afterwards set by Dewar,
whether with the same accompaniments or not, I have forgot. It is my own
favourite humorous song when forced by ladies to sing against my will,
which too frequently happens; and notwithstanding my wood-notes wild, it
will never be sung by any so well again.--For the air, see the "Border