by Sir Alexander Boswell (1775 - 1822)
The east neuk o' Fife
Language: English
She Auld gudeman, ye're a drunken carle, drunken carle, A' the lang day ye wink and drink, gape and gaunt; Of sottish loons ye're the pink and pearl, pink and pearl, Ill fa'r'd, doited, ne'er-do-weel. He Auld gudewife! ye're a flytin body, flytin body; Will ye hae now, but gude be thank'd, the wit ye want; The puttin cow Should be ay a doddy, ay a doddy, Mak na sic an awsome reel She Ye're a sow, auld man, Ye get fou, auld man, Fye shame, auld man, To your wame, auld man, Sair pinch'd I win, wi' spinnin tow, A plack to clead, ye're back and pow. He It's a lie, gudewife, It's your tea, gudewife; Na, na, gudewife, Ye spend a', gudewife, Dinna fa' on me pell-mell, Ye like a drap fou-weel yoursel. She Ye's rue, auld gowk, your jest and frolic, jest and frolic, Dare ye say, goose, I ever likd' to tak a drappy? An 'twerena just for to cure the cholic, cure the cholic, De'il a drap wad weet my mou. He Troth, gudewife, ye wadna swither, wadna swither Soon soon to tak a cholic, whan it brings a drap o' cappy; But twa score o' years we hae fought thegither, fought thegither, Time it is to gree, I trow. She I'm wrang, auld John, Owr lang, auld John, For nought, gude John, We hae fought, gude John; Let's help to bear ilk ither's weight, We're far owre feckless now to feght. He Ye're right, gudewife, The night, gudewife, Our cup, gude Kate, We'll sup, gude Kate; Thegither frae this hour we'll draw, And toom the stoup atWeen us twa!
gudeman = the master/mistress of the house;
carle = a name for an old man;
gaunt = yawn;
doited = crazy, as in old age;
flytin= scolding;
cow = butting, mischievous cow;
doddy = cow without horns;
fou = drunk;
plack= coin;
clead = clothe;
pow= head, skull;
gowk = fool;
cappy= ale;
feckless = much too feeble;
toom = empty;
stoup= flagon
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
carle = a name for an old man;
gaunt = yawn;
doited = crazy, as in old age;
flytin= scolding;
cow = butting, mischievous cow;
doddy = cow without horns;
fou = drunk;
plack= coin;
clead = clothe;
pow= head, skull;
gowk = fool;
cappy= ale;
feckless = much too feeble;
toom = empty;
stoup= flagon
Authorship:
- by Sir Alexander Boswell (1775 - 1822) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "The east neuk o' Fife", Hob. XXXIa:234, JHW XXXII/3 no. 258. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-08
Line count: 40
Word count: 275