III.

But, Duncan, gin ye'll keep your aith-- Ha, ha, the girdin o't! I'se bless you wi' my hindmost breath-- Ha, ha, the girdin o't! Duncan, gin ye'll keep your aith, The beast again can bear us baith, And auld Mess John will mend the skaith, And clout the bad girdin o't.

* * * * *

THE PLOUGHMAN.

Tune--"_Up wi' the ploughman._"

[The old words, of which these in the Museum are an altered and amended version, are in the collection of Herd.]