Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Willie's Wife

Robert Burns

“Willie's Wife” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 503 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Willie Wastle dwalt on Tweed,

The spot they ca'd it Linkumdoddie,

Willie was a wabster guid,

Cou'd stown a clue wi' onie bodie;

He had a wife was dour and din,

O Tinkler Madgie was her mither;

Sic a wife as Willie had,

I wad na gie a button for her.

Verse 2

She has an ee, she has but ane,

The cat has twa the very colour:

Five rusty teeth, forbye a stump,

A clapper tongue wad deave a miller;

A whiskin beard about her mou,

Her nose and chin they threaten ither;

Sic a wife, &c.

Verse 3

She's bow-hough'd, she's hein shinn'd,

Ae limpin leg a hand-breed shorter;

She's twisted right, she's twisted left,

To balance fair in ilka quarter:

She has a hump upon her breast,

The twin o' that upon her shouther;

Sic a wife, &c.

Verse 4

Auld baudrans by the ingle sits,

An' wi' her loof her face a-washin;

But Willie's wife is nae sae trig,

She dights her grunzie wi' a hushion;

Her walie nieves like midden-creels,

Her face wad fyle the Logan-water;

Sic a wife as Willie had,

I wad na gie a button for her.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “Willie's Wife”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

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 2026-10-25. 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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