Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Duncan Gray 1

Robert Burns

“Duncan Gray 1” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 32 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Weary fa' you, Duncan Gray,

Ha, ha, the girdin' o't;

Wae gae by you, Duncan Gray,

Ha, ha, the girdin' o't;

When a' the lave gae to their play,

Then I maun sit the lee-lang day,

An' jeeg the cradle wi' my tae,

An' a' for the girdin' o't.

Bonnie was the Lammas moon,

Ha, ha, the girdin' o't,

Glowrin' a' the hills aboon,

Ha, ha, the girdin' o't;

The girdin' brak', the beast cam' down,

I tint my curch an' baith my shoon;

An', Duncan, ye're an unco loon,

Wae on the bad girdin' ot.

But, Duncan, gin ye'll keep your aith,

Ha, ha, the girdin' o't,

I'll bless you wi' my hindmost breath,

Ha, ha, the girdin' o't.

Duncan, gin ye'll keep your aith,

The beast again can bear us baith,

An' auld Mess John will mend the skaith,

An' clout the bad girdin' o't.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Duncan Gray 1”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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