And when she sets her to her wheel, To draw her threads wi' care, In comes the chapman wi' his gear, And she can spin nae mair. The weary pund, &c. And then like ony merry May, At fairs maun still be seen, At kirkyard preachings near the tent, At dances on the green. The weary pund, &c. Her dainty ear a fiddle charms, A bagpipe 's her delight, But for the crooning o' her wheel She disna care a mite. The weary pund, &c. "You spake, my Kate, of snaw-white webs Made o' your hinkum twine, But, ah! I fear our bonnie burn Will ne'er lave web o' thine. The weary pund, &c. "Nay, smile again, my winsome mate, Sic jeering means nae ill; Should I gae sarkless to my grave, I'll loe and bless thee still." The weary pund, &c. THE WEE PICKLE TOW.[32] A lively young lass had a wee pickle tow, And she thought to try the spinnin' o't; She sat by the fire, and her rock took alow, And that was an ill beginnin' o't. Loud and shrill was the cry that she utter'd, I ween; The sudden mischanter brought tears to her een; Her face it was fair, but her temper was keen; O dole for the ill beginnin' o't! She stamp'd on the floor, and her twa hands she wrung, Her bonny sweet mou' she crookit, O! And fell was the outbreak o' words frae her tongue; Like ane sair demented she lookit, O! "Foul fa' the inventor o' rock and o' reel! I hope, gude forgi'e me! he 's now wi' the d--l, He brought us mair trouble than help, wot I weel; O dole for the ill beginnin' o't! "And now, when they 're spinnin' and kempin' awa', They 'll talk o' my rock and the burnin' o't, While Tibbie, and Mysie, and Maggie, and a', Into some silly joke will be turnin' it: They 'll say I was doited, they 'll say I was fu'; They 'll say I was dowie, and Robin untrue; They 'll say in the fire some luve-powther I threw, And that made the ill beginning o't. "O curst be the day, and unchancy the hour, When I sat me adown to the spinnin' o't! Then some evil spirit or warlock had power, And made sic an ill beginnin' o't. May Spunkie my feet to the boggie betray, The lunzie folk steal my new kirtle away, And Robin forsake me for douce Effie Gray, The next time I try the spinnin' o't." [32] "The Wee Pickle Tow" is an old air, to which the words of this song were written. THE GOWAN GLITTERS ON THE SWARD.