Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne

Cauld Kail in Aberdeen

Air — Cauld Kail in Aberdeen."

There's cauld kail in Aberdeen,
There's castocks in Stra'bogie,
And, morn and e'en, they're blythe and bein,
That haud them frae the cogie.
Now haud ye frae the cogie, lads,
O bide ye frae the cogie,
I'll tell ye true, ye'll never rue
O passin' by the cogie.

Young Will was braw and weel put on,
Sae blythe was he and vogie,
And he got bonnie Mary Don,
The flower o' a' Stra'bogie.
Wha wad hae thought, at wooin' time,
He'd e'er forsaken Mary!
And ta'en him to the tipplin' trade,
Wi' boozin' Rob and Harry.

Sair Mary wrought, sair Mary grat,
She scarce could lift the ladle,
Wi' pithless feet, 'tween like greet,
She'd rock the borrow'd cradle.
Her weddin' plenishin' was gane,
She never thought to borrow;
Her bonnie face was waxin' wan,
And Will wrought a' the sorrow.

He's reelin' hame ae winter's night,
Some later than the gloamin';
He's ta'en the rig, he's miss'd the brig,
And Bogie's owre him foamin'.
Wi' broken banes, out owre the stanes
He creepit up Stra'bogie,
And a' the nicht he prayed wi' micht,
To keep him frae the cogie.

Now Mary's heart is light again,
She's neither sick nor silly;
For, auld or young, nae sinfu' tongue
Could e'er entice her Willie.
And aye the sanng thro' Bogie rang,
O haud ye frae the cogie;
The weary gill's the sairest ill
On braes o' fair Stra'bogie.