Traditional Scottish Songs
- Doon by a Wee Bit Wimplin' Burn
Charles Nicol (born in 1858) was a native of Glasgow's Pollokshaws area. He began work in a weaving factory at the age of ten, but he put right his lack of formal education by attending evening classes. He was later inspired by the poet James M. Neilson to follow in his footsteps and wrote a number of poems which were published in local newspapers. This simple poem of two young lovers oddly finishes on a sombre note.
Doon by a Wee Bit Wimplin' Burn
Doon by a wee bit wimplin' burn,
I met my lassie fair yestreen,
A lassie wha's baith young an' braw -
A lassie wi' twa bonnie een.
Sweet birdies sang their tunefu' lays
Aboon oor heids sae bonnie, O;
Whilk made oor hearts feel licht ance mair,
An' happy aye as ony, O.Twa 'oors fu' swiftly passed awa',
An aye we sat beside the burn;
Oor thochts were a' o' love sae dear;
Frae that sweet theme we couldna turn,
For love, ye ken, is ever sweet,
When heard frae yer ain lover, O;
An sae it was wi' us yestreen,
As we sat under cover, O.Ah, happy, happy did I feel
'Lang wi' my queen, my love, my a';
An' ere we pairted mony vows
Yestreen were passed atween us twa,
For aye to be fu' leal an' true
Towards ilk ither ever, O;
Nae maitter what should e'er befa',
Till grim death should us sever, O.Meaning of unusual words:
wimplin' = winding, meandering, rippling
Whilk = which
ance mair = once more
aye = always
ye ken = you know
fu' leal = full of loyalty
ilk ither = each other
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