Oh the pawky auld carle cam o'er the lea Wi' mony guild-e'ens and guid-days tae me Sayin', "guid wife for your charity Would you lodge a leal poor man?" Laddie wi my tow-ro-ae
Well the nicht being cauld, the carle being wat It's doon ayant the ingle he sat My dochters shouthers he began tae clap And cadgily ranted and sang Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae
Between the twa was made a plot They'd rise a wee afore the cock And wilily they shot the lock And fast to the bent they are gane Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae
The aul wife gaed whaur the beggar lay The strae was cauld, he was away She clappit her hands cryin "Waladay! For some of our gear will be gane" Laddie wi my tow-ro-ae
The servant gaed whaur the dochtor lay Th sheets were cauld, she was away And fast to the guid wife she gan say "Shes awa wi the gaberlunzieman" Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae
"O fy gar ride and fy gar rin And haste ye find these traitors again! For she's be burnt and he's be slain The wearyful beggarman" Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae
Meanwhile farhind oot o'er the lea Fu-snug in a glen where nane could see The twa wi' kindly sport and glee Would lo'e the hale day lang Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae
Oh the lady cam riding o'er the lea Efter mony years her guidwife tae see She had wedded a lord, nae begger he That had gaed as the beggarman Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae
Well the lady came riding o'er the strand Wi' fower and twenty at her command She was the brawest in the land And she went wi' the beggarman Laddie wi' my tow-ro-ae