Traditional: Collected Lyrics
248 / 291
Public-domain lyrics

Maggy Maclane

Traditional

“Maggy Maclane” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 248 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

—"the warst's when the wee mouse looks out wi' a tear to her,

Frae the meal-kist o' Maggy Maclane,"

Verse 2

Doon i' the glen by the lown o' the trees,

Lies a wee theeket bield, like a bike for the bees;

But the hinnie there skepp'd—gin ye're no dour to please—

It's virgin Miss Maggy Maclane!

There's few seek Meg's shed noo, the simmer sun jookin';

It's aye the dry floor, Meg's—the day e'er sae drookin'!

But the heather-blabs hing whare the red blude's been shooken

I' bruilzies for Maggy Maclane!

Doon by Meg's howf-tree the gowk comes to woo;

But the corncraik's aye fley'd at her hallan-door joo!

An' the red-breast ne'er cheeps but the weird's at his mou',

For the last o' the roses that's gane!

Nae trystin' at Meg's noo—nae Hallowe'en rockins!

Nae howtowdie guttlens—nae mart-puddin' yockins!

Nae bane i' the blast's teeth blaws snell up Glendockens!

Clean bickers wi' Maggy Maclane!

Meg's auld lyart gutcher swarf'd dead i' the shawe:

Her bein, fouthy minnie,—she's aff an' awa'!

The grey on her pow but a simmerly snaw!—

The couthy, cosh Widow Maclane!

O titties be tentie! though air i' the day wi' ye,—

Think that the green grass may ae day be hay wi' ye!—

Think o' the leal minnie—mayna be aye wi' ye!

When sabbin' for Maggy Maclane.

Lallan' joes—Hielan' joes—Meg ance had wale;

Fo'k wi' the siller, and chiefs wi' the tail!

The yaud left the bum to drink out o' Meg's pail—

The sheltie braw kent "the Maclane."

Awa' owre the muir they cam' stottin' an' stoicherin'!

Tramper an' traveller, a' beakin' an' broicherin'!

Cadgers an' cuddy-creels, oigherin'!—hoigherin'!

"The lanlowpers!"—quo Maggy Maclane.

Cowtes were to fother:—Meg owre the bum flang!

Nowte were to tether:—Meg through the wood rang!

The widow she kenn'd-na to bless or to bann!

Sic waste o' gude wooers to hain!

Yet, aye at the souter, Meg grumph'd her! an' grumph'd her!

The loot-shouther'd wabster, she humph'd her! and humph'd her!

The lamiter tailor, she stump'd her! an' stump'd her!

Her minnie might groo or grane!

The tailor he likit cockleekie broo;

An' doon he cam' wi' a beck an' a boo:—

Quo' Meg,—"We'se sune tak' the cleckon aff you;"—

An' plump! i' the burn he's gane!

The widow's cheek redden'd; her heart it play'd thud! aye;

Her garters she cuist roon' his neck like a wuddie!

She linkit him oot; but wi' wringin' his duddies,

Her weed-ring it's burst in twain!

Wowf was the widow—to haud nor to bing!

The tailor he's aff, an' he's coft a new ring!

Th' deil squeeze his craig's no wordy the string!—

He's waddet auld Widow Maclane!

Auld?—an' a bride! Na, ye'd pitied the tea-pat!

O saut were the skadyens! but balm's in Glenlivat!

The haggis was bockin' oot bluters o' bree-fat,

An' hoteh'd to the piper its lane!—

Doon the bumside, i' the lown o' the glen,

Meg reists her bird-lane, i' a but-an-a-ben:

Steal doon when ye dow,—i' the dearth, gentlemen,—

Ye'se be awmous to Maggy Maclane!

Lane bauks the virgin—nae white pows now keekin

Through key-hole an' cranny; nae cash blade stan's sleekin'

His nicherin' naigie, his gaudamons seekin'!

Alack for the days that are gane!

Lame's fa'n the souter!—some steek i' his thie!

The cooper's clean gyte, wi' a hoopin' coughee!

The smith's got sae blin'—wi' a spunk i' his e'e!—

He's tyned glint o' Maggy Maclane!

Meg brake the kirk pew-door—Auld Beukie leuk'd near-na her!

She dunkled her pattie—Young Sneckie ne'er speir'd for her!

But the warst's when the wee mouse leuks oot, wi' a tear to her,

Frae the meal-kist o' Maggy Maclane!

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, “Maggy Maclane”

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.
Keep tracing

More from Traditional: Collected Lyrics.

01A good old SongPublic-domain lyrics02I canna be fashedPublic-domain lyrics03It's weel it's nae waurPublic-domain lyrics04'Twas na her bonnie blue e'ePublic-domain lyrics