unknown author: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Fee him, father, fee him

unknown author

“Fee him, father, fee him” as printed in The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series) (1851).

unknown author: Collected Lyrics Text 19 1851 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Saw ye Johnnie comin', quo' she,

Saw ye Johnnie comin';

Saw ye Johnnie comin', quo' she,

Saw ye Johnnie comin.

Johnnie ye Johnnie comin', quo' she,

Saw ye Johnnie comin'

Wi' his blue bonnet on his head,

And his doggie rinnin', quo' she,

And his doggie rinnin'?

Verse 2

Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him,

Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, him;

For he is a gallant lad,

And a weel doin';

And a' the 'wark about tho house,

Gaes wi' me when I see him, quo' she,

Wi' me when I see him.

Verse 3

What will I do wi' him, hizzie?

What will I do wi' him?

He's ne'er a sark upon his back,

And I hae nane to gie him.

I hae twa sarks into my kist,

And ane o' them I'll gie him,

And for a merk o' mair fee,

Dinna stand wi' him, quo' she.

Dinna stand wi' him.

Verse 4

For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,

Weel do I lo'e him;

For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,

Weel do I lo'e him.

O fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him;

He'll haud the plough, thrash in the harn,

And crack wi' me at e'en, quo' she,

And crack wi' me at e'en.

Credits

Written by unknown author

Words by unknown author. Historical text published in The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series) (1851); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series) (1851), “Fee him, father, fee him”

Every contribution in this 1851 anthology predates modern copyright terms; any contributor died more than 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide.

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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