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Unread 02-05-2002, 03:10 PM
Terese Coe Terese Coe is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 7,489
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Can anyone interpret:

yauld, hurdies fyke, claes, wyme?

Robert Burns' version of "John Anderson, My Jo" (according to Tony McCarthy's Bawdy British Folk Songs):

John Anderson, my jo John, I wonder what ye mean
To lie sae lang i'the morning and sit sae late at e'en?
Ye'll blear a' your een, John, and why do ye so?
Come sooner to your bed at e'en, John Anderson, my jo.

John Anderson, my jo John, when that ye first began
Ye had as good a tail-tree as any other man.
But now it's waxin' wan, John, and wrinkles to and fro
And aft requires my helping hand, John Anderson, my jo.

When we were young and yauld, John, we've lain-out owre the dyke
And oh! it was fine thing to see your hurdies fyke.
To see your hurdies fyke, John, and strike the rising blow
'Twas then I liked your chanter-pipe, John Anderson, my jo.

John Anderson, my jo John, you're welcome when you please,
It's either in the warm-bed or else aboon the claes.
Do your part aboon, John, and trust to me below,
I've twa gae-ups for your gae-down, John Anderson, my jo.

When ye come on before, John, see that ye do your best,
When I begin to haud ye, see that ye grip me fast.
See that ye grip me fast, John, until that I cry: 'Oh!'
Your back shall crack, or I do that, John Anderson, my jo.

I'm backit like a salmon and breastit like a swan,
My wyme is like a down-cod, my waist ye weel may span.
My skin fra tap to toe, John, is like the new-fa'n snow,
And it's all for your conveniency, John Anderson, my jo.
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