William Barnes

Third Collection. A Lot o’ Maïdens

“Come on. Be sprack, a-laggèn back.”
“Oh! be there any cows to hook?”
“Lauk she’s afraïd, a silly maïd,”
 Cows? No, the cows be down by brook.
“O here then, oh! here is a lot.”
“A lot o’ what? what is it? what?”
“Why blackberries, as thick
 As ever they can stick.”
“I’ve dewberries, oh! twice
 As good as they; so nice.”
“Look here. Theäse boughs be all but blue
 Wi’ snags.”
       “Oh! gi’e me down a vew.”
“Come here, oh! do but look.”
“What’s that? what is it now?”
“Why nuts a-slippèn shell.”
“Hee ! hee ! pull down the bough.”
“I wish I had a crook.”
“There zome o’m be a-vell.”
 (One sings)
       “I wish I was on Bimport Hill
 I would zit down and cry my vill.”
“Hee! hee! there’s Jenny zomewhere nigh,
 A-zingèn that she’d like to cry.”
 (Jenny sings)
      “I would zit down and cry my vill
 Until my tears would dreve a mill.”
“Oh! here’s an ugly crawlèn thing,
 A sneäke.” “A slooworm; he wont sting.”
“Hee! hee! how she did squal an’ hop,
 A-spinnèn roun’ so quick’s a top.”
“Look here, oh! quick, be quick.”
“What is it? what then? where?”
“A rabbit.” “No, a heäre.”
“Ooh! ooh! the thorns do prick,”
“How he did scote along the ground
 As if he wer avore a hound.”
“Now mind the thistles.” “Hee, hee, hee,
 Why they be knapweeds.”
“No.” “They be.”
“I’ve zome’hat in my shoe.”
“Zit down, an’ sheäke it out.”
“Oh! emmets, oh! ooh, ooh,
 A-crawlèn all about.”
“What bird is that, O harken, hush.
 How sweetly he do zing.”
“A nightingeäle.” “La! no, a drush.”
“Oh! here’s a funny thing.”
“Oh! how the bull do hook,
 An’ bleäre, an’ fling the dirt.”
“Oh! wont he come athirt?”
“No, he’s beyond the brook.”
“O lauk! a hornet rose
 Up clwose avore my nose.”
“Oh! what wer that so white
Rush’d out o’ thik tree’s top?”
“An owl.” “How I did hop,
 How I do sheäke wi’ fright.”
“A musheroom.” “O lau!
 A twoadstool! Pwoison! Augh.”
“What’s that, a mouse?”
            “O no,
 Teäke ceäre, why ’tis a shrow.”
“Be sure dont let en come
 An’ run athirt your shoe
 He’ll meäke your voot so numb
 That you wont veel a tooe.”
“Oh! what wer that so loud
 A-rumblèn?” “Why a clap
 O’ thunder. Here’s a cloud
 O’ raïn. I veel a drap.”
“A thunderstorm. Do raïn.
 Run hwome wi’ might an’ main.”
“Hee! hee! oh! there’s a drop
 A-trïckled down my back. Hee! hee!”
“My head’s as wet’s a mop.”
“Oh! thunder,” “there’s a crack. Oh! Oh!”
“Oh! I’ve a-got the stitch, Oh!”
“Oh! I’ve a-lost my shoe, Oh!”
“There’s Fanny into ditch, Oh!”
“I’m wet all drough an’ drough. Oh!”