Poems and Songs of Robert Burns

by Robert Burns

And all the treasures of the mind-

  These be thy guardian and reward;

  So prays thy faithful friend, the Bard.

  Dumfries, June 26, 1769.

  [Footnote 1: Written for music played by Miss Lewars, who nursed him in his

  last illness.]

  Fairest Maid On Devon Banks

  tune-'Rothiemurchie."

  Chorus-Fairest maid on Devon banks,

  Crystal Devon, winding Devon,

  Wilt thou lay that frown aside,

  And smile as thou wert wont to do?

  Full well thou know'st I love thee dear,

  Couldst thou to malice lend an ear!

  O did not Love exclaim: "Forbear,

  Nor use a faithful lover so."

  Fairest maid, &c.

  Then come, thou fairest of the fair,

  Those wonted smiles, O let me share;

  And by thy beauteous self I swear,

  No love but thine my heart shall know.

  Fairest maid, &c.

  Glossary

  A', all.

  A-back, behind, away.

  Abiegh, aloof, off.

  Ablins, v. aiblins.

  Aboon, above up.

  Abread, abroad.

  Abreed, in breadth.

  Ae, one.

  Aff, off.

  Aff-hand, at once.

  Aff-loof, offhand.

  A-fiel, afield.

  Afore, before.

  Aft, oft.

  Aften, often.

  Agley, awry.

  Ahin, behind.

  Aiblins, perhaps.

  Aidle, foul water.

  Aik, oak.

  Aiken, oaken.

  Ain, own.

  Air, early.

  Airle, earnest money.

  Airn, iron.

  Airt, direction.

  Airt, to direct.

  Aith, oath.

  Aits, oats.

  Aiver, an old horse.

  Aizle, a cinder.

  A-jee, ajar; to one side.

  Alake, alas.

  Alane, alone.

  Alang, along.

  Amaist, almost.

  Amang, among.

  An, if.

  An', and.

  Ance, once.

  Ane, one.

  Aneath, beneath.

  Anes, ones.

  Anither, another.

  Aqua-fontis, spring water.

  Aqua-vitae, whiskey.

  Arle, v. airle.

  Ase, ashes.

  Asklent, askew, askance.

  Aspar, aspread.

  Asteer, astir.

  A'thegither, altogether.

  Athort, athwart.

  Atweel, in truth.

  Atween, between.

  Aught, eight.

  Aught, possessed of.

  Aughten, eighteen.

  Aughtlins, at all.

  Auld, old.

  Auldfarran, auldfarrant, shrewd, old-fashioned, sagacious.

  Auld Reekie, Edinburgh.

  Auld-warld, old-world.

  Aumous, alms.

  Ava, at all.

  Awa, away.

  Awald, backways and doubled up.

  Awauk, awake.

  Awauken, awaken.

  Awe, owe.

  Awkart, awkward.

  Awnie, bearded.

  Ayont, beyond.

  Ba', a ball.

  Backet, bucket, box.

  Backit, backed.

  Backlins-comin, coming back.

  Back-yett, gate at the back.

  Bade, endured.

  Bade, asked.

  Baggie, stomach.

  Baig'nets, bayonets.

  Baillie, magistrate of a Scots burgh.

  Bainie, bony.

  Bairn, child.

  Bairntime, brood.

  Baith, both.

  Bakes, biscuits.

  Ballats, ballads.

  Balou, lullaby.

  Ban, swear.

  Ban', band (of the Presbyterian clergyman).

  Bane, bone.

  Bang, an effort; a blow; a large number.

  Bang, to thump.

  Banie, v. bainie.

  Bannet, bonnet.

  Bannock, bonnock, a thick oatmeal cake.

  Bardie, dim. of bard.

  Barefit, barefooted.

  Barket, barked.

  Barley-brie, or bree, barley-brew-ale or whiskey.

  Barm, yeast.

  Barmie, yeasty.

  Barn-yard, stackyard.

  Bartie, the Devil.

  Bashing, abashing.

  Batch, a number.

  Batts, the botts; the colic.

  Bauckie-bird, the bat.

  Baudrons, Baudrans, the cat.

  Bauk, cross-beam.

  Bauk, v. bawk.

  Bauk-en', beam-end.

  Bauld, bold.

  Bauldest, boldest.

  Bauldly, boldly.

  Baumy, balmy.

  Bawbee, a half-penny.

  Bawdrons, v. baudrons.

  Bawk, a field path.

  Baws'nt, white-streaked.

  Bear, barley.

  Beas', beasts, vermin.

  Beastie, dim. of beast.

  Beck, a curtsy.

  Beet, feed, kindle.

  Beild, v. biel.

  Belang, belong.

  Beld, bald.

  Bellum, assault.

  Bellys, bellows.

  Belyve, by and by.

  Ben, a parlor (i.e., the inner apartment); into the parlor.

  Benmost, inmost.

  Be-north, to the northward of.

  Be-south, to the southward of.

  Bethankit, grace after meat.

  Beuk, a book: devil's pictur'd beuks-playing-cards.

  Bicker, a wooden cup.

  Bicker, a short run.

  Bicker, to flow swiftly and with a slight noise.

  Bickerin, noisy contention.

  Bickering, hurrying.

  Bid, to ask, to wish, to offer.

  Bide, abide, endure.

  Biel, bield, a shelter; a sheltered spot.

  Biel, comfortable.

  Bien, comfortable.

  Bien, bienly, comfortably.

  Big, to build.

  Biggin, building.

  Bike, v. byke.

  Bill, the bull.

  Billie, fellow, comrade, brother.

  Bings, heaps.

  Birdie, dim. of bird; also maidens.

  Birk, the birch.

  Birken, birchen.

  Birkie, a fellow.

  Birr, force, vigor.

  Birring, whirring.

  Birses, bristles.

  Birth, berth.

  Bit, small (e.g., bit lassie).

  Bit, nick of time.

  Bitch-fou, completely drunk.

  Bizz, a flurry.

  Bizz, buzz.

  Bizzard, the buzzard.

  Bizzie, busy.

  Black-bonnet, the Presbyterian elder.

  Black-nebbit, black-beaked.

  Blad, v. blaud.

  Blae, blue, livid.

  Blastet, blastit, blasted.

  Blastie, a blasted (i.e., damned) creature; a little wretch.

  Blate, modest, bashful.

  Blather, bladder.

  Blaud, a large quantity.

  Blaud, to slap, pelt.

  Blaw, blow.

  Blaw, to brag.

  Blawing, blowing.

  Blawn, blown.

  Bleer, to blear.

  Bleer't, bleared.

  Bleeze, blaze.

  Blellum, a babbler; a railer; a blusterer.

  Blether, blethers, nonsense.

  Blether, to talk nonsense.

  Bletherin', talking nonsense.

  Blin', blind.

  Blink, a glance, a moment.

  Blink, to glance, to shine.

  Blinkers, spies, oglers.

  Blinkin, smirking, leering.

  Blin't, blinded.

  Blitter, the snipe.

&n
bsp; Blue-gown, the livery of the licensed beggar.

  Bluid, blood.

  Bluidy, bloody.

  Blume, to bloom.

  Bluntie, a stupid.

  Blypes, shreds.

  Bobbed, curtsied.

  Bocked, vomited.

  Boddle, a farthing.

  Bode, look for.

  Bodkin, tailor's needle.

  Body, bodie, a person.

  Boggie, dim. of bog.

  Bogle, a bogie, a hobgoblin.

  Bole, a hole, or small recess in the wall.

  Bonie, bonnie, pretty, beautiful.

  Bonilie, prettily.

  Bonnock, v. Bannock.

  'Boon, above.

  Boord, board, surface.

  Boord-en', board-end.

  Boortress, elders.

  Boost, must needs.

  Boot, payment to the bargain.

  Bore, a chink, recess.

  Botch, an angry tumor.

  Bouk, a human trunk; bulk.

  Bountith, bounty.

  'Bout, about.

  Bow-hough'd, bandy-thighed.

  Bow-kail, cabbage.

  Bow't, bent.

  Brachens, ferns.

  Brae, the slope of a hill.

  Braid, broad.

  Broad-claith, broad-cloth.

  Braik, a harrow.

  Braing't, plunged.

  Brak, broke.

  Brak's, broke his.

  Brankie, gay, fine.

  Branks, a wooden curb, a bridle.

  Bran'y, brandy.

  Brash, short attack.

  Brats, small pieces, rags.

  Brats, small children.

  Brattle, a scamper.

  Brattle, noisy onset.

  Braw, handsome, fine, gaily dressed.

  Brawlie, finely, perfectly, heartily.

  Braxies, sheep that have died of braxie (a disease).

  Breastie, dim. of breast.

  Breastit, sprang forward.

  Brechan, ferns.

  Breeks, breeches.

  Breer, brier.

  Brent, brand.

  Brent, straight, steep (i.e., not sloping from baldness).

  Brie, v. barley-brie.

  Brief, writ.

  Brier, briar.

  Brig, bridge.

  Brisket, breast.

  Brither, brother.

  Brock, a badger.

  Brogue, a trick.

  Broo, soup, broth, water; liquid in which anything is cooked.

  Brooses, wedding races from the church to the home of the bride.

  Brose, a thick mixture of meal and warm water; also a synonym for porridge.

  Browster wives, ale wives.

  Brugh, a burgh.

  Brulzie, brulyie, a brawl.

  Brunstane, brimstone.

  Brunt, burned.

  Brust, burst.

  Buckie, dim. of buck; a smart younker.

  Buckle, a curl.

  Buckskin, Virginian: the buckskin kye, negroes.

  Budget, tinker's bag of tools.

  Buff, to bang, to thump.

  Bughtin, folding.

  Buirdly, stalwart.

  Bum, the buttocks.

  Bum, to hum.

  Bum-clock, beetle, cockchafer, Junebug.

  Bummle, a drone, a useless fellow.

  Bunker, a seat.

  Bunters, harlots.

  Burdies, dim. of bird or burd (a lady); maidens.

  Bure, bore.

  Burn, a rivulet.

  Burnewin, the blacksmith (i.e., burn the wind).

  Burnie, dim. of burn, a rivulet.

  Burr-thistle, spear-thistle.

  Busk, to dress; to garb; to dress up; to adorn.

  Buss, a bush.

  Bussle, bustle.

  But, without.

  But, butt, in the kitchen (i.e., the outer apartment).

  By, past, aside.

  By, beside.

  By himsel, beside himself.

  Bye attour (i.e., by and attour), beside and at a distance.

  Byke, a bees' nest; a hive; a swarm; a crowd.

  Byre, a cow-house.

  Ca', call, knock, drive.

  Cadger, a hawker (especially of fish).

  Cadie, caddie, a fellow.

  Caff, chaff.

  Caird, a tinker.

  Calf-ward, grazing plot for calves (i.e., churchyard).

  Callan, callant, a stripling.

  Caller, cool, refreshing.

  Callet, a trull.

  Cam, came.

  Canie, cannie, gentle, tractable, quiet, prudent, careful.

  Cankrie, crabbed.

  Canna, can not.

  Canniest, quietest.

  Cannilie, cannily, quietly, prudently, cautiously.

  Cantie, cheerful, lively, jolly, merry.

  Cantraip, magic, witching.

  Cants, merry stories, canters or sprees or merry doings.

  Cape-stanc, copestone.

  Capon-castrate.

  Care na by, do not care.

  Carl, carle, a man, an old man.

  Carl-hemp, male-hemp.

  Carlie, a manikin.

  Carlin, carline a middle-aged, or old, woman; a beldam, a witch.

  Carmagnole, a violent Jacobin.

  Cartes, playing-cards.

  Cartie, dim. of cart.

  Catch-the-plack, the hunt for money.

  Caudron, a caldron.

  Cauf, calf.

  Cauf-leather, calf-leather.

  Cauk, chalk.

  Cauld, cold.

  Cauldron, caldron.

  Caup, a wooden drinking vessel.

  Causey-cleaners, causeway-cleaners.

  Cavie, a hen-coop.

  Chamer, chaumer, chamber.

  Change-house, tavern.

  Chanter, bagpipes; the pipe of the bag-pipes which produces the melody; song.

  Chap, a fellow, a young fellow.

  Chap, to strike.

  Chapman, a pedler.

  Chaup, chap, a stroke, a blow.

  Chear, cheer.

  Chearfu', cheerful.

  Chearless, cheerless.

  Cheary, cheery.

  Cheek-for-chow, cheek-by-jowl (i.e. close beside).

  Cheep, peep, squeak.

  Chiel, chield (i. e., child), a fellow, a young fellow.

  Chimla, chimney.

  Chittering, shivering.

  Chows, chews.

  Chuck, a hen, a dear.

  Chuckie, dim. of chuck, but usually signifies mother hen, an old dear.

  Chuffie, fat-faced.

  Chuse, to choose.

  Cit, the civet.

  Cit, a citizen, a merchant.

  Clachan, a small village about a church.

  Claeding, clothing.

  Claes, claise, clothes.

  Claith, cloth.

  Claithing, clothing.

  Clankie, a severe knock.

  Clap, the clapper of a mill.

  Clark, a clerk.

  Clark, clerkly, scholarly.

  Clarkit, clerked, wrote.

  Clarty, dirty.

  Clash, an idle tale; gossip.

  Clash, to tattle.

  Clatter, noise, tattle, talk, disputation, babble.

  Clatter, to make a noise by striking; to babble; to prattle.

  Claught, clutched, seized.

  Claughtin, clutching, grasping.

  Claut, a clutch, a handful.

  Claut, to scrape.

  Claver, clover.

  Clavers, gossip, nonsense.

  Claw, a scratch, a blow.

  Claw, to scratch, to strike.

  Clay-cauld, clay-cold.

  Claymore, a two-handed Highland sword.

  Cleckin, a brood.

  Cleed, to clothe.

  Cleek, to snatch.

  Cleekit, linked arms.

  Cleg, gadfly.

  Clink, a sharp stroke; jingle.

  Clink, money, coin.

  Clink, to chink.

  Clink, to rhyme.r />
  Clinkin, with a smart motion.

  Clinkum, clinkumbell, the beadle, the bellman.

  Clips, shears.

  Clish-ma-claver, gossip, taletelling; non-sense.

  Clockin-time, clucking- (i. e., hatching-) time.

  Cloot, the hoof.

  Clootie, cloots, hoofie, hoofs (a nickname of the Devil).

  Clour, a bump or swelling after a blow.

  Clout, a cloth, a patch.

  Clout, to patch.

  Clud, a cloud.

  Clunk, to make a hollow sound.

  Coble, a broad and flat boat.

  Cock, the mark (in curling).

  Cockie, dim. of cock (applied to an old man).

  Cocks, fellows, good fellows.

  Cod, a pillow.

  Coft, bought.

  Cog, a wooden drinking vessel, a porridge dish, a corn measure for horses.

  Coggie, dim. of cog, a little dish.

  Coil, Coila, Kyle (one of the ancient districts of Ayrshire).

  Collieshangie, a squabble.

  Cood, cud.

  Coof, v. cuif.

  Cookit, hid.

  Coor, cover.

  Cooser, a courser, a stallion.

  Coost (i. e., cast), looped, threw off, tossed, chucked.

  Cootie, a small pail.

  Cootie, leg-plumed.

  Corbies, ravens, crows.

  Core, corps.

  Corn mou, corn heap.

  Corn't, fed with corn.

  Corse, corpse.

  Corss, cross.

  Cou'dna, couldna, couldn't.

  Countra, country.

  Coup, to capsize.

  Couthie, couthy, loving, affable, cosy, comfortable.

  Cowe, to scare, to daunt.

  Cowe, to lop.

  Crack, tale; a chat; talk.

  Crack, to chat, to talk.

  Craft, croft.

  Craft-rig, croft-ridge.

  Craig, the throat.

  Craig, a crag.

  Craigie, dim. of craig, the throat.

  Craigy, craggy.

  Craik, the corn-crake, the land-rail.

  Crambo-clink, rhyme.

  Crambo-jingle, rhyming.

  Cran, the support for a pot or kettle.

  Crankous, fretful.

  Cranks, creakings.

  Cranreuch, hoar-frost.

  Crap, crop, top.

  Craw, crow.

  Creel, an osier basket.

  Creepie-chair, stool of repentance.

  Creeshie, greasy.

  Crocks, old ewes.

  Cronie, intimate friend.

  Crooded, cooed.

  Croods, coos.

  Croon, moan, low.

  Croon, to toll.

  Crooning, humming.

  Croose, crouse, cocksure, set, proud, cheerful.

  Crouchie, hunchbacked.

  Crousely, confidently.

  Crowdie, meal and cold water, meal and milk, porridge.

  Crowdie-time, porridge-time (i. e., breakfast-time).

  Crowlin, crawling.

  Crummie, a horned cow.

  Crummock, cummock, a cudgel, a crooked staff.

  Crump, crisp.

  Crunt, a blow.

  Cuddle, to fondle.

  Cuif, coof, a dolt, a ninny; a dastard.

  Cummock, v. crummock.

  Curch, a kerchief for the head.

  Curchie, a curtsy.