When I was a miller in Fife,
|
Losh! I thought that the sound o' the happer
|
Said, ``Tak' hame a wee flow to your wife,
|
To help to mak' brose to your supper.''
|
|
Then my conscience was narrow and pure,
|
But someway by random it rackit;
|
For I lifted twa neivefu' or mair,
|
While the happer said, ``Tak' it, man tak' it.''
|
|
Then hey for the mill and the kiln,
|
The garland and gear for my cogie,
|
And hey for the whisky and gill,
|
That washes the dust frae my craigie.
|
|
Although it's been lang in repute
|
For rogues to mak' rich by deceiving,
|
Yet I see that it disna weel suit
|
Honest men to begin to the thieving.
|
|
For my heart it gaed dunt upon dunt,
|
Oh, I thought ilka dunt it wad crack it;
|
Sae I flang frae my neive what was in't,
|
Still the happer said, ``Tak' it, man, tak' it.''
|
|
A man that's been bred to the plough,
|
Might be deav'd wi' its clamorous clapper;
|
Yet there's few but would suffer the sough,
|
After kenning what's said by the happer.
|
|
I whiles thought it scoff'd me to scorn,
|
Saying, ``Shame, is your conscience no chackit?''
|
But when I grew dry from a horn,
|
It chang'd aye to ``Tak' it, man, tak' it.''
|
|
The smugglers whiles cam' wi' their pocks,
|
'Cause they kent that I likit a bicker,
|
Sae I bartered whiles wi' the gowks,
|
Gied them grain for a sowp o' their liquor.
|
|
I had lang been accustomed to drink,
|
And aye when I purposed to quat it,
|
That thing wi' its clappertie clink
|
Said aye to me, ``Tak' it, man, tak' it.''
|
|
But the warst thing I did in my life,
|
Nae doot but ye'll think I was wrang o't;
|
Od! I tauld a bit bodie in Fife
|
A' my tale, and he made a bit sang o't.
|
|
I have aye had a voice a' my days,
|
But for singin' I ne'er gat the knack o't;
|
Yet I try whyles, just thinking to please
|
The greedy, wi' ``Tak' it, man, tak' it.''
|
|
Now, miller and a' as I am,
|
This far I can see through the matter;
|
There's men mair notorious to fame,
|
Mair greedy than me o' the muter.
|
|
For 'twad seem that the hale race o' men,
|
Or, wi' safety, the hauf we may mak' it,
|
Ha'e some speaking happer within,
|
That said to them ``Tak' it, man, tak' it.''
|
|
-----------------
|
Tak' It, Man Tak' It
|
| Andy M. Stewart |
