"Weel, tell him, Davie, that here's Mr William, wha has learned to
speel Parnassus by a step-ladder, has come to hear the sang he made
about my grandmither's wooin'."

Accordingly Davie ushered me to the kitchen. I could distinguish
through the reaming fumes of liquor and tobacco about half a dozen of
carousers; they were chorusing at the full stretch of their lungs the
song of a jolly fellow in one corner, who, nodding, winking, and
flourishing his palms, in that state of perfect bliss "that good ale
brings men to," was lilting up

"Till the house be rinnin' round about,
It's time enough to flit;
When we fell, we aye gat up again,
And sae will we yet!"

This was ranting Rab Halliday--they all rose at my entrance; but being
able to make myself at home in all companies, I had little difficulty
in soon restoring them to their seats and jollity; while Davie
signified what was to him intelligible of his master's wishes to the
tuneful ranter. Rab, after praying law for any lack of skill that
might be detected by my learning, sang with great humour the following
verses, which he entitled

THE CANNY COURTSHIP.

Young Redrigs walks where the sunbeams fa';
He sees his shadow slant up the wa'--
Wi' shouthers sae braid, and wi' waist sae sma',
Guid faith he's a proper man!
He cocks his cap, and he streeks out his briest;
And he steps a step like a lord at least;
And he cries like the deevil to saddle his beast,
And aff to court he's gaun.

The Laird o' Largy is far frae hame,
But his dochter sits at the quiltin' frame,
Kamin' her hair wi' a siller kame,
In mony a gowden ban':
Bauld Redrigs loups frae his blawin' horse,
He prees her mou' wi' a freesome force--
"Come take me, Nelly, for better for worse,
To be your ain guidman."

"I'll no be harried like bumbee's byke--
I'll no be handled unleddy like--
I winna hae ye, ye worryin' tyke,
The road ye came gae 'lang!"
He loupit on wi' an awsome snort,
He bang'd the fire frae the flinty court;
He's aff and awa' in a snorin' sturt,
As hard as he can whang.

It's doon she sat when she saw him gae,
And a' that she could do or say,
Was--"O! and alack! and a well-a-day!
I've lost the best guidman!"
But if she was wae, it's he was wud;
He garr'd them a' frae his roa