Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

I'll gar our Gudeman

Traditional

“I'll gar our Gudeman” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 171 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

I'll gar our gudeman trow

I'll sell the ladle,

If he winna buy to me

A bonnie side-saddle,

To ride to kirk and bridal,

And round about the town;

Stand about, ye fisher jauds,

And gi'e my gown room!

I'll gar our gudeman trow

I'll tak' the fling-strings,

If he winna buy to me

Twal bonnie gowd rings;

Ane for ilka finger,

And twa for illia thoom;

Stand about, ye fisher jauds,

And gi'e my gown room!

I'll gar our gudeman trow

That I'm gaun to die,

If he winna fee to me

Valets twa or three,

To bear my train up frae the dirt,

And ush me through the town,

Stand about, ye fisher jauds,

And gi'e my gown room!

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. 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, “I'll gar our Gudeman”

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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