012 As Late By A Sodger I Chanced To Pass
Tune: I'll Mak You Be Fain To Follow Me
1．
As late by a sodger I chanced to pass,
I heard him a courtin a bony young lass;
‘My hinny, my life, my dearest,’ quo he,
‘I'll mak you be fain to follow me.’
‘Gin I should follow you, a poor sodger lad,
Ilk ane o' my cummers wad think I was mad;
For battles I never shall lang to sea,
I'll never be fain to follow thee.’
2．
‘To follow me, I think ye may be glad,
A part o' my supper, a part o' my bed,
A part o' my bed, wherever it be,
I'll mak you be fain to follow me.
Come try my knapsack on your back,
Alang the king's high-gate we'll pack;
Between Saint Johnston and bony Dundee,
I'll mak you be fain to follow me.’
Notes
Title As Late By A Sodger I Chanced To Pass: When Recently I Happened To Encounter A Soldier
In some anthologies, the title is “I'll Make You be Fain to Follow Me”. This song is Burns' slight improvement on a traditional song. It and the poem “Bonie Dundee” form a sequence. This song was first printed in 1790.
Stanza 1
Line 2 courtin: courting
Line 3 hinny: honey
Line 4 mak: make
Line 5 Gin: if
Line 6 Ilk: each, every; ane: one; cummers: gossips; wad: would
Line 7 lang: long; sea: see
Stanza 2
Line 6 Alang: along; high-gate: highway; pack: gather
Line 7 Saint Johnston: Perth