Digital Tradition Mirror

Carle Rade tae Aberdeen

Carle Rade tae Aberdeen

     1.
     The carle rade tae Aberdeen
     To buy white bread
     But lang or he cam back again,
     The carline she was deid.
     Sae he up wi his muckle stick
     An geid her ower the head.
     Cryin, `Rise carline, rise
     An eat white bread.'

     2.
     Ride, dide, dide,
     Ride awa t' Aberdeen,
     An buy fite bread,
     She fan ere she cam back
     The carlin wiz dead.
     Up wi' her club,
     Gie her on the lug,
     An said, "Rise up, carlin,
     An eat fite bread."

     3.
     Ride horsie, ride,
     Awa tae Aberdeen,
     Tae buy fite breid.
     Fan she got there,
     The cattle she was deid.
     Up wi ma club,
     Ga the cattle on the lug.
     Rise up, cattle,
     An eat fite breid.

     4.
     Ride away to Aberdeen,
       And buy white breid,
     But lang ere she cam' back again,
       The carlin she was deid;
     He up wi' his muckle club,
       And gied her in the heid,
     Fie, carlin, rise again
       And eat white breid.
     ________________________________________________________

     (1) Alison Poetry of NE Sc. (1976), 124.
     (2) Gregor (1881), 17, a dandling song from the North-
     East; whence perhaps (3), from SC (1948), 160 (no. 296)
     [seemingly misheard]. With the lines on the club, cf.
     "Hirdy Dirdie", "Cleaverie, cleaverie, sit i the sun",
     etc.  With 1-3 cf.  MacLennan SNR (1909), 50: "Ride
     horsie, ride, ride horsie, ride, Ride awa' to Aiberdeen,
     and buy white breid."
     (4) Rymour Club Misc. II (1912-19), 96 (in 4 lines), a
     counting-out rhyme from Edinburgh.

MS

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