Poem by Joanna Baillie

Fee him, Father

Saw ye Johnny comin', quo' she,
⁠     Saw ye Johnny comin'.
Saw ye Johnny comin', quo' she,
     ⁠Saw ye Johnny comin;
Saw ye Johnny comin', quo' she,
⁠     Saw ye Johnny comin';
Wi' his blue bonnet on his head,
⁠     And his doggie rinnin', quo' she,
     ⁠And his doggie rinnin'?

Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,
⁠     Fee him, father, fee him;
Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,
     ⁠Fee him, father, fee him;
For he is a gallant lad,
     ⁠And a weel-doin';
And a' the wark about the house,
     ⁠Gaes wi' me when I see him, quo' she,
     ⁠Wi' me when I see him.

What will I do wi' him, quo' he,
     ⁠What will I do wi' him?
He's ne'er a sark upon his back,
     ⁠And I ha'e nane to gi'e him.
I ha'e twa sarks into my kist,
⁠     And ane o' them I'll gi'e him;
And for a merk o' mair fee
⁠     Dinna stand wi' him, quo' she,
     ⁠Dinna stand wi' him.

For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,
⁠     Weel do I lo'e him;
For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,
⁠     Weel do I lo'e him.
O fee him, father, fee him. quo' she,
     ⁠Fee him, father, fee him;
He'll haud the pleugh, thrash in the barn,
⁠     And crack wi' me at e'en, quo' she,
⁠     And crack wi' me at e'en. 

1. Song Written for a Welch Air Called
2. The Maid of Llanwellyn
3. On Reading Walter Scot’s
4. The Season of Life
5. Female Picture of a Country Life

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