Willie Brew'd: Willie Brew'd

Willie Brew'd

Tune--"_Willie brew'd a peck o' maut._"

[The scene of this song is Laggan, in Nithsdale, a small estate which
Nicol bought by the advice of the poet. It was composed in memory of
the house-heating. "We had such a joyous meeting," says Burns, "that
Masterton and I agreed, each in our own way, to celebrate the
business." The Willie who made the browst was, therefore, William
Nicol; the Allan who composed the air, Allan Masterton; and he who
wrote this choicest of convivial songs, Robert Burns.]

I.
    O, Willie brew'd a peck o' maut,
      And Rob and Allan came to see:
    Three blither hearts, that lee-lang night
      Ye wad na find in Christendie.
          We are na fou, we're no that fou,
            But just a drappie in our e'e;
          The cock may craw, the day may daw,
            And aye we'll taste the barley bree.
II.
    Here are we met, three merry boys,
      Three merry boys, I trow, are we;
    And mony a night we've merry been,
      And mony mae we hope to be!
III.
    It is the moon--I ken her horn,
      That's blinkin in the lift sae hie;
    She shines sae bright to wyle us hame,
      But, by my sooth, she'll wait a wee!
IV.
    Wha first shall rise to gang awa',
      A cuckold, coward loon is he!
    Wha last beside his chair shall fa',
      He is the king amang us three!
          We are na fou, we're no that fou,
            But just a drappie in our e'e;
          The cock may craw, the day may daw,
            And aye we'll taste the barley bree.

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