Jock an' His Mother

" Now, mother, since a' our fine lasses ye saw
Yestreen at the wedding, sae trig an' sae braw,
Say, isna my Peggy the flower o' them a',
Our dance an' our party adorning ?
Her form is sae fair, an' her features sae fine,
Her cheek like the lily anointit wi' wine,
The beam o' her bonny blue ee does outshine
The starn that appears i' the morning."

" Away, ye poor booby ! your skeel is but sma',
Gin ye marry Peggy ye'll ruin us a' ;
She lives like a lady, and dresses as braw.

But how will she rise i' the morning ?
She"ll lie in her bed till eleven, while ye
Maun rise an' prepare her her toast an' her tea ;
Her frien's will be angry an' send ye to sea,
Dear Jock, tak a thought an' some warning."

" O, mother, sic beauty I canna forego,
I've sworn I will have her, come weel or come woe,
An' that wad be perjury black as a crow
To leave her an' think of another."
" An' if you should wed her, your prospects are fine,
In meal-pocks and rags you will instantly shine ;
Gae break your mad vow, an' the sin shall be mine —
O pity yoursell an' your mother !"

" I'm sure my dear Peggy is lovely as May,
An' I saw her father this very same day,
An' tauld him I was for his daughter away."

" Sure, Jock, he wad tak it for scorning ?"
" He said he wad gie me a horse an' a cow,
A hunder good yowes, an' a pack o' his woo;
To stock the bit farm at the back o' the brow,
An' gie Maggy wark i' the morning."

" Your Peggy is bonny, I weei maun allow,
An' really 'tis dangerous breakin' a vow ;
Then tak her — my blessing on Peggy an' you
Shall tarry baith e'ening an' morning."
So Jock an' his Peggy in wedlock were bound,
The bridal was merry, the music did sound,
They went to their bed, while the glass it gaed round,
An' a' wished them joy i' the morning.