Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE JOLLY BEGGAR, by JAMES V


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE JOLLY BEGGAR, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There was a jolly beggar, and a begging he was born
Last Line: And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...
Subject(s): Begging & Beggars


THERE was a jolly beggar, and a beggin' he was boun',
And he took up his quarters into a landwart toun.

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin', a-rovin' in the nicht,
Let the heart be e'er sae lovin', or the moon shine ne'er sae bricht.

He wad neither lie in barn, nor yet wad he in byre,
But in ahint the ha' door, or else afore the fire.

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

The beggar's bed was made at e'en wi' gude clean strae and hay,
And in ahint the ha' door, and there the beggar lay.

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

Up rose the gude man's dochter, and for to bar the door;
And there she saw the beggar standin' i' the floor.

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

He took the lassie in his arms, and off with her he ran.
'O! hoolie, hoolie, wi' me, sir; ye'll wauken our gude man.'

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

The beggar was a cunnin' loon, and ne'er a word he spak,
Until the cock began to craw; syne he began to crack,

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

'Is there ony dowgs into this toun? maiden, tell me true.'
'And what wad ye do wi' them, my hinnie and my dow?'

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

'They'll ryve a my meal-pocks, and do me mickle wrang.'
'O! dule for the dooin' o't! are ye the puir man?'

And we gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

Then she took up the meal-pocks, and flang them ower the wa';
'The de'il gae wi' the meal-pocks, an' tak' yoursel' awa'.'

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

'I took ye for some gentleman, at least the Laird o' Brodie:
O! dule for the doin' o't! are ye the puir bodie?'

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

He took the lassie in his arms, and gae her kisses three,
And four-and-twenty hundred merks for havin' made sae free.

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

He took a horn frae his side, and blew baith loud and shrill,
And four-and-twenty beltit knichts came skippin' ower the hill

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...

And he took out his little knife, loot a' his duddies fa',
And he was the brawest gentleman that was amang them a'.

And we'll gang nae mair a-rovin' ...





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