John Paterson's Mare
1.
The black and the brown
Cam nearest the town,
But Paterson's mare she came foremost;
The dun and the gray
Kept farthest away,
But Paterson's mare she came foremost.
Fy, whip her in, whip her out,
Six shillings in a clout,
O'er the kirk-style and away wi' her!
2.
The black and the broon
Gang nearest the toon,
John Paterson's filly gaes foremost.
The black and the grey
Gang a their ain way,
John Paterson's filly gaes foremost.
The black and the din
They fell a ahin,
John Paterson's filly gaes foremost.
The black and the yellow
Gae up like a swallow,
John Paterson's filly gaes foremost.
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(1) Chambers, SSPB (1862), 60; (2) SC 57 (no.61), from
Ayrshire. Described by Chambers as "a rough ballad
descriptive of the confused horse-race which used to
take place at all country bridals long ago, between the
home of the bride's father and that of her husband", the
air to which was borrowed with comic appropriateness by
the writer of "The Battle of Sheriff-Muir" ("There's
some say that we wan", etc.), probably written shortly
after the battle (13 November 1715).
Hogg says the tune was previously called She's yours,
she's yours, she's nae mair ours, and to have been always
played at the taking away of a bride. Henderson Berwick
(1856), 106, quotes "the bridal tune" as "She's yours! She's
yours!/ She's nae mair ours--/ Owre the Kirk-style/ And away
wi' her!"
MS
oct99
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!