Digital Tradition Mirror

Whistle Whistle Auld Wife

Whistle Whistle Auld Wife

     1.
     Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       And ye'se get a hen.
     I wadna whistle, quo' the wife,
       Though ye wad gie me ten.

     Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       And ye'se get a cock.
     I wadna whistle, quo' the wife,
       Though ye wad gie me a flock.

     Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       And ye'se get a man.
     Wheep-whaup! quo' the wife,
       I'll whistle as I can.

     2.
     "Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       An' ye'se get a hen."
     "I wadna whistle," quo' the wife,
       "Though ye wad gi'e me ten."

     "Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       An' ye'se get a cock."
     "I wadna whistle," quo' the wife,
       "Though ye'd gi'e me a flock."

     "Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       An' ye'se get a goun."
     "I wadna whistle," quo' the wife,
       "For the best ane i' the toun."

     "Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       An' ye'se get a coo."
     "I wadna whistle," quo' the wife,
       "Though ye wad gi'e me two."

     "Whistle, whistle, auld wife,
       An' ye'se get a man."
     "Wheeple-whauple," quo' the wife,
       "I'll whistle as I can."

     3.
     "Fustle, fustle! auld wife,
       And I'll gi'e you a hen."
     "'Deed a couldna fustle, sir,
       Though ye should gi'e me ten."

     "Fustle, fustle! auld wife,
       And I'll gi'e you a coo."
     "'Deed a couldna fustle, sir,
       Though ye should gi'e me two."

     "Fustle, fustle! auld wife,
       And I'll gi'e you a man."
     "Phoo-phoo-phoo-phoo!
       I'll dae the best I can."
     ________________________________________________________
     (1) Chambers PRS (1826); 1847, 188; 1870, 25; NAE
     (1932), 22. MacLennan SNR (1909), 24, slight differs.
     (2) Ford CR, 136; Montgomerie SNR (1946), 120 (no. 152).
     (3) Rymour Club Misc. I (1906-11), 178 (in 3 couplets).
     ODNR 143-4 (no. 128).

MS
oct99

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!