THE
MERRY
BACHELOR
,
(
FOUNDED
ON
THE
OLD
SCOTCH
SONG
OF
“
WILLIE
WAS
A
WANTON
WAG
.
”
)
WILLIE
was
a
wanton
wag
,
The
blithest
lad
that
e'er
I
saw
;
Of
field
and
floor
he
was
the
brag
,
And
carried
a'
the
gree
Gree
,
honour
or
preference
.
awa
'
.
And
was
na
'
Willie
stark
and
keen
,
When
he
gaed
to
the
weapon-shaw
;
He
won
the
prizes
on
the
green
,
And
cheered
the
feasters
in
the
ha'
.
His
head
was
wise
,
his
heart
was
liel
,
His
truth
was
fair
without
a
flaw
;
And
aye
by
every
honest
chiel
His
word
was
holden
as
a
law
.
And
was
na
'
Willie
still
our
pride
When
,
in
his
gallant
gear
arrayed
,
He
wan
the
bruise
Bruise
,
a
race
at
a
wedding
,
the
winner
being
rewarded
with
the
first
kiss
of
the
Bride
,
and
the
first
ladle-pot
of
broth
.
and
kist
the
bride
,
While
pipes
the
wedding
welcome
played
.
And
aye
he
led
the
foremost
dance
,
Wi'
winsom
maidens
buskit
braw
,
And
gave
to
each
a
merry
glance
That
stole
,
a
while
,
her
heart
awa
'
.
The
bride
forgot
her
simple
groom
,
And
every
lass
her
trysted
Tristed
,
met
by
appointment
.
Joe
;
Yet
nae
man's
brow
on
Will
could
gloom
,
They
liked
his
rousing
blitheness
so
.
Our
good
Mess
John
laughed
wi'
the
laive
;
The
dominie
for
a'
his
lair
Could
scarcely
like
himsell
behave
,
While
a'
was
glee
and
revel
there
.
A
joyous
sight
was
Willie's
face
,
Baith
far
and
near
in
ilka
spot
;
In
ha'
received
wi'
kindly
grace
,
And
welcomed
to
the
lowly
cot
.
The
carlin
left
her
housewife's
wark
,
The
bairnies
shouted
Willie's
name
;
The
colley
too
would
fidge
and
bark
And
wag
his
tail
when
Willie
came
.
But
Willie
now
has
crossed
the
main
,
And
he
has
been
sae
lang
awa
'
!
Oh
!
would
he
were
returned
again
To
drive
the
dourness
Doufness
,
dullness
.
frae
us
a'
!