I hae seen the hairst o' Rettie, lads,
And twa-three aff the throne.
I've heard o sax and seven
The hairsters girn and groan.
But wi' a covie Willie RaeA monthie an' a
Sends a' the jolly
Singin' blithely doon the brae.
In a monthie an' a day, my lads,
The like was never seen;
It beats to sticks the fastest stripsO' Vickers' best machine.
The Speedwell she taks up the rear,
The Victory clears the way;
And twenty acres daily yields,
Laid doon tae Willie Rae.
He drives them roond and roond the
At sic an awfu' rate:
Yet guides them gently oot and
At mony's a kittle gate.
And wiles them gently ow'r the
And mony a hidden hole,
And he'll come by nae
If ye leave him wi' a pole.
O he sharps their teeth tae gar them bite;
He taps them on the jaws,
And if he sees them dowie-like,
He'll brawly ken the cause:
A boltie here, or a pinnie there,
Tae keep them aye in tune;
He'll quickly stop their wild career,
And bring the clishack doon.
O he whittles aff the corners,
And makes crookit bitties straucht,
He likes to see that man and
Are equal in a draucht,
An' a' the corners neat an'
And nae a shafe agley;
And he'll coont wi' ony
Frae the Deveron tae the Spey.
Noo he's nae made up wi' mony
Or kent tae puff and lee,
But just as keen a little
As ony you will see.
And if you're in search o hairvest
Upon a market day,
Take my advice, be there in
And look for Willie Rae.
Noo he hae got it in aboot,
An' a wer things be ticht,
We'll gaither roond the festal
Tae spend a joyfae nicht;
Wi' Scottish sangs and mutton
Tae charm our cares away;
We'll drink success tae Rettie,
And my bandster Annie Maclean.
Noo afore I end my hamely screed,
I canna weel
The gentle dames that guards the
And keeps the folk in maet.
Lang may they bile the
And stir the porridge weel.
An may never need or want for
Tae keep the timmer hale.
Noo here's tae a' ye Rettie blades,
A ringin' cheer - Hurra!
A better lot o' workin' chapsA gaffer never saw.
They're aye sae willin' for tae pairt,
And eager for the
It was them that made the boatie row,
That was steer'd by Willie Rae.
