It happened at last Whitson tide
I tired o’ ma place;
So I gaed up tae Insch tae fee,
Ma fortune for tae chase.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
And sing airy irrity addy
And sing airy irrity an
I met wi’ Adam Mitchell
And tae fee we did presume.
He’s a fairmer up Kinethmont way
At a place ca’d Sleepytoon.
“If ye and I agree,” said he,
“I’ll get the fairest play,
For I never bid ma servants work
mair nor twelve’oors a day.”
“If a’ be true ye tell tae me
I think the place might suit.”
Says I, “I’ll gang wi’ you
although ye are an ugly brute.”
Next order was tae bed at nine
And never leave the toon,
And ilka time we left it
We’d be fined half a croon.
But we took little heed o’ that
And oftimes took the pass,
Sometimes tae buy tobacco
And sometimes tae court a lass.
Well ma neighbour was fined many a croon
But never lost the hairt,
And I maself was fined a croon
For riding in the cairt.
And noo the time has come at last
And we hae ah gang free
And will gang doon tae Tilford toon
And hae ourselves a spree
Maybe we’ll see old Mitchell there,
Suppin’ at his brose.
I’ll gie him a len’ o’ ma hankie
For tae wipe his snotty nose.