auld carle,
Silly, clavering auld carle,
The hawk an' doo shall pair, I trew,
Before I pair wi' ye, carle!

Your heart is cauld an' hard as stanes,
Ye ha'e nae marrow in your banes,
An' siller canna buy the brains
That pleasure gie to me, carle!
Oh, ye tottering auld carle,
Silly, clavering auld carle,
The hound an' hare may seek ae lair,
But I'll no sleep wi' ye, carle.

I winna share your gowd wi' ye,
Your withering heart, an' watery e'e;
In death I'd sooner shrouded be
Than wedded to ye, auld carle!
Oh, ye tottering auld carle,
Silly, clavering auld carle,
When roses blaw on leafs o' snaw,
I'll bloom upon your breast, carle.

But there's a lad, an' I'm his ain,
May heaven blessings on him rain!
Though plackless, he is unco fain,
And he's the man for me, carle!
Oh, youth an' age can ne'er agree;
Though rich, you're no the man for me.
Gae hame, auld carle, prepare to dee;
Pray heaven to be your bride, carle.

BESSIE.

Oh, mony a year has come and gane,
An' mony a weary day,
Sin' frae my hame, my mountain hame,
I first was lured away,
To wander over unco lands,
Far, far ayont the sea;
But no to find a land like this,
The hame o' Bess an' me!

I've traversed mony a dreary land,
Across the braid, braid sea;
But, oh, my native mountain hame,
My thochts were aye wi' thee.
As certain as the sun wad rise,
And set ahint the sea,
Sae constant, Bessie, were my prayers,
At morn an' nicht for thee;

When I return'd unto my hame,
The hills were clad wi' snow;
Though they look'd cold and cheerless, love,
My heart was in a glow.
Though keen the wintry north wind blew,
Like summer 'twas to me;
For, Bess, my frame was warm wi' love,
Of country, kindred, thee!

Nae flower e'er hail'd wi' sweeter smiles
Returning sunny beams,
Than I then hailed my native hame,
Its mountains, woods, and streams.
Now we are met, my bonnie Bess,
We never mair will part;
Although to a' we seem as twa,
We only hae ae heart!

We 'll be sae loving a' the nicht,
Sae happy a' the day,
That though our bodies time may change,
Our love shall ne'er decay:
As gent