The Spae Wife

Post Reply
User avatar
Nahemah
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 5077
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:49 pm
Location: Sunny Glasgow by the Clutha's side

The Spae Wife

Post by Nahemah »

THE SPAE-WIFE

YE frien's o' deep knowledge, if wise ye wad be,
Creep into my cave an' a' secrets ye'll see;
If maiden, or mother, uncertainty bother,
Frae doubt an' frae darkness, their min's I can free:
Ilk lass, no tald lees on, wha deems, an' wi' reason,
The youth she oblig't frae her fond arms will flee,
An' wife, in a fear ay, that jilts meet her dearie,
May learn the hale truth by applyin' to me.

Gif Chanticlear's ta'en frae the roost whare he craw't;
Or horse, kye, or sheep, frae the pasture-fiel' ca't,
My head I'll bestow ye, if I dinna shew ye
The leuks in a glass, o' the loun that's in faut:
Or else if ye cleek up, an' toss my delft tea cup,
If danger, or death's near, the gruns plain will shaw't:
By cuttin' o' cartes folk, an' no' by black arts, folk,
O past, present, future, I'll read ye a claut.

A spunkie reply't, wha oureheard the dark dame -
"Guid wife! they wha trust ye defeat their ain aim;
'The henpecket taupie, wha'd wiss to be happy,
"Sud ax nane wha ken - what the wife does at hame:
"Ilk sport-lovin' weary, might dread to come near ye,
"Wha ken'st the dark neuk whare she try't the blythe game -
'The grand plan of Nature's conceal'd frae a' creatures;
"Nor cud their skill chang't gif they kent the hale scheme.

'Ye promise promotion, an' sin' frae the mead
'The shepherd to sea, whare some shark soon he'll feed;
'The young thing, sae bonie, weds some canker't clownie,
"Because ye've presag'd that nae ither's decreed -
"While dupes trust the sybil far mair than the bible,
"An' change the last sixpence that ye may be fee'd,
"I'll scorn the to-morrow, an' banishin' sorrow,
"Learn mair light frae whiskey than e'er fill't your head.

James Orr, Bard of Ballycarry.

This is in Ullans.Translation to follow.
"He lived his words, spoke his own actions and his story and the story of the world ran parallel."

Sartre speaking of Che Guevara.

User avatar
Nahemah
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 5077
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:49 pm
Location: Sunny Glasgow by the Clutha's side

part one

Post by Nahemah »

YE friends of deep knowledge, if wise ye would be,
Creep into my cave an' all secrets ye'll see;
If maiden, or mother, uncertainty bother,
From doubt and from darkness, their minds I can free:
that lass told the truth on what will happen and with reason,
The youth she obliged, from her fond arms will flee,
And wife, in a fear always, that shocks meet her lover,
May learn the whole truth by applyin' to me.

If the rooster is taken from the roost where he crowed,
Or horse, cow, or sheep, from the pasture-field caught,
My head I'll bestow you, if I do not show you
The likeness in a glass, of the madman that's at fault;
Or else if ye shake up, an' toss my delft tea cup,
If danger, or death's near, the grounds plainly will be shown:
By cuttin' o' cards folk, and not by black arts, folk,
Of past, present, future, I'll read you a lot...

A cheeky chap replied, who overheard the dark dame -
"Good wife! they who trust ye defeat their own aim;
'The henpecked husband, who'd wish to be happy,
"Should wish nothing to know - what the wife does at home:
"that sport-lovin' weary, might dread to come near ye,
"Who knows the dark corners where she trusts the blythe game -
'The grand plan of Nature's concealed from all creatures;
"Nor could their skill change it if they knew the whole scheme.

'You promise promotion, and sing from the mead
'The shepherd to sea, where some shark soon he'll feed;
'The young thing, so pretty, weds some uglie clownie,
"Because ye've presaged that no other's decreed -
"While dupes trust the sybil far more than the bible,
"And change the last sixpence that ye may be paid,
"I'll scorn the tomorrow, and banishing sorrow,
"Learn more light from the whiskey than ever filled your head.
"He lived his words, spoke his own actions and his story and the story of the world ran parallel."

Sartre speaking of Che Guevara.

Post Reply

Return to “Northern Europe”