277

THE WIFE WRAPT IN WETHER’S SKIN

A. a.‘Sweet Robin,’ Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 319.b.Macmath MS., p. 100, three stanzas.B.‘Robin he’s gane to the wude,’ Harris MS., fol. 26b.C.‘The Cooper of Fife,’ Whitelaw, The Book of Scottish Song, p. 333.D.Jamieson-Brown MS., Appendix, p. iii.E.Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 324.

A. a.‘Sweet Robin,’ Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 319.b.Macmath MS., p. 100, three stanzas.

B.‘Robin he’s gane to the wude,’ Harris MS., fol. 26b.

C.‘The Cooper of Fife,’ Whitelaw, The Book of Scottish Song, p. 333.

D.Jamieson-Brown MS., Appendix, p. iii.

E.Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 324.

Jamieson cites the first two stanzas ofA ain a letter of inquiry to The Scots Magazine, October, 1803, p. 700, and the first half ofD(with alterations) in his preface, Popular Ballads, I, 320. The ballad, he says, is very popular all over Scotland.

Robin has married a wife of too high kin to bake or brew, wash or wring. He strips off a wether’s skin and lays it on her back, or prins her in it. He dares not beat her, for her proud kin, but he may beat the wether’s skin, and does. This makes an ill wife good.

A fragment in Herd’s MSS, I, 105, II, 161, belongs, if not to this ballad, at least to one in which an attempt is made to tame a shrew by castigation.

‘Now tak a cud in ilka handAnd bace[90]her up and doun, man,And she’ll be an o the best wivesThat ever took the town, man.’And Jammie’s turnd him round about,He’s done a manly feat:‘Get up, get up, ye dirty slut,And gie to me my meat.’‘Say’t oer again, say’t oer again,Ye thief, that I may hear ye;I’se gar ye dance upon a peat,Gin I sall cum but near ye.’

‘Now tak a cud in ilka handAnd bace[90]her up and doun, man,And she’ll be an o the best wivesThat ever took the town, man.’

‘Now tak a cud in ilka hand

And bace[90]her up and doun, man,

And she’ll be an o the best wives

That ever took the town, man.’

And Jammie’s turnd him round about,He’s done a manly feat:‘Get up, get up, ye dirty slut,And gie to me my meat.’

And Jammie’s turnd him round about,

He’s done a manly feat:

‘Get up, get up, ye dirty slut,

And gie to me my meat.’

‘Say’t oer again, say’t oer again,Ye thief, that I may hear ye;I’se gar ye dance upon a peat,Gin I sall cum but near ye.’

‘Say’t oer again, say’t oer again,

Ye thief, that I may hear ye;

I’se gar ye dance upon a peat,

Gin I sall cum but near ye.’

The story of the ballad was in all likelihood traditionally derived from the good old tale of the wife lapped in Morrel’s skin.[91]Here a husband, who has put up with a great deal from an excessively restive wife, flays his old horse Morrell and salts the hide, takes the shrew down cellar, and, after a sharp contest for mastery, beats her with birchen rods till she swoons, then wraps her in the salted hide: by which process the woman is perfectly reformed.[92]

Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 319. “From the recitation of a friend of the editor’s in Morayshire.”

1She wadna bake, she wadna brew,Hollin, green hollinFor spoiling o her comely hue.Bend your bow, Robin2She wadna wash, she wadna wring,For spoiling o her gay goud ring.3Robin he’s gane to the faldAnd catched a weather by the spauld.4And he has killed his weather blackAnd laid the skin upon her back.5‘I darena pay you, for your kin,But I can pay my weather’s skin.6‘I darena pay my lady’s back,But I can pay my weather black.’7‘O Robin, Robin, lat me be,And I’ll a good wife be to thee.8‘It’s I will wash, and I will wring,And never mind my gay goud ring.9‘It’s I will bake, and I will brew,And never mind my comely hue.10‘And gin ye thinkna that eneugh,I’se tak the goad and I’se ca the pleugh.11‘Gin ye ca for mair whan that is doon,I’ll sit i the neuk and I’ll dight your shoon.’

1She wadna bake, she wadna brew,Hollin, green hollinFor spoiling o her comely hue.Bend your bow, Robin

She wadna bake, she wadna brew,

Hollin, green hollin

For spoiling o her comely hue.

Bend your bow, Robin

2She wadna wash, she wadna wring,For spoiling o her gay goud ring.

She wadna wash, she wadna wring,

For spoiling o her gay goud ring.

3Robin he’s gane to the faldAnd catched a weather by the spauld.

Robin he’s gane to the fald

And catched a weather by the spauld.

4And he has killed his weather blackAnd laid the skin upon her back.

And he has killed his weather black

And laid the skin upon her back.

5‘I darena pay you, for your kin,But I can pay my weather’s skin.

‘I darena pay you, for your kin,

But I can pay my weather’s skin.

6‘I darena pay my lady’s back,But I can pay my weather black.’

‘I darena pay my lady’s back,

But I can pay my weather black.’

7‘O Robin, Robin, lat me be,And I’ll a good wife be to thee.

‘O Robin, Robin, lat me be,

And I’ll a good wife be to thee.

8‘It’s I will wash, and I will wring,And never mind my gay goud ring.

‘It’s I will wash, and I will wring,

And never mind my gay goud ring.

9‘It’s I will bake, and I will brew,And never mind my comely hue.

‘It’s I will bake, and I will brew,

And never mind my comely hue.

10‘And gin ye thinkna that eneugh,I’se tak the goad and I’se ca the pleugh.

‘And gin ye thinkna that eneugh,

I’se tak the goad and I’se ca the pleugh.

11‘Gin ye ca for mair whan that is doon,I’ll sit i the neuk and I’ll dight your shoon.’

‘Gin ye ca for mair whan that is doon,

I’ll sit i the neuk and I’ll dight your shoon.’

Harris MS., fol. 26 b, No 25, from Miss Harris.

1Robin he’s gane to the wast,Hollin, green hollinHe’s waled a wife amang the warst.Bend your bows, Robin2She could neither bake nor brew,For spoilin o her bonnie hue.3She could neither spin nor caird,But fill the cup, an sair the laird.4She could neither wash nor wring,For spoilin o her gay goud ring.5Robin’s sworn by the rudeThat he wald mak an ill wife gude.6Robin he’s gaun to the fauld,An taen his blaik [wither] by the spauld.7He’s taen aff his wither’s skinAn he has preened his ain wife in.8‘I daurna beat my wife, for a’ her kin,But I may beat my wither’s skin.’9‘I can baith bake an brew;What care I for my bonnie hue?10‘I can baith wash an wring;What care I for my gay gowd ring?11‘I can baith spin an caird;Lat onybodie sair the laird.’12Robin’s sworn by the rudeThat he has made an ill wife gude.

1Robin he’s gane to the wast,Hollin, green hollinHe’s waled a wife amang the warst.Bend your bows, Robin

Robin he’s gane to the wast,

Hollin, green hollin

He’s waled a wife amang the warst.

Bend your bows, Robin

2She could neither bake nor brew,For spoilin o her bonnie hue.

She could neither bake nor brew,

For spoilin o her bonnie hue.

3She could neither spin nor caird,But fill the cup, an sair the laird.

She could neither spin nor caird,

But fill the cup, an sair the laird.

4She could neither wash nor wring,For spoilin o her gay goud ring.

She could neither wash nor wring,

For spoilin o her gay goud ring.

5Robin’s sworn by the rudeThat he wald mak an ill wife gude.

Robin’s sworn by the rude

That he wald mak an ill wife gude.

6Robin he’s gaun to the fauld,An taen his blaik [wither] by the spauld.

Robin he’s gaun to the fauld,

An taen his blaik [wither] by the spauld.

7He’s taen aff his wither’s skinAn he has preened his ain wife in.

He’s taen aff his wither’s skin

An he has preened his ain wife in.

8‘I daurna beat my wife, for a’ her kin,But I may beat my wither’s skin.’

‘I daurna beat my wife, for a’ her kin,

But I may beat my wither’s skin.’

9‘I can baith bake an brew;What care I for my bonnie hue?

‘I can baith bake an brew;

What care I for my bonnie hue?

10‘I can baith wash an wring;What care I for my gay gowd ring?

‘I can baith wash an wring;

What care I for my gay gowd ring?

11‘I can baith spin an caird;Lat onybodie sair the laird.’

‘I can baith spin an caird;

Lat onybodie sair the laird.’

12Robin’s sworn by the rudeThat he has made an ill wife gude.

Robin’s sworn by the rude

That he has made an ill wife gude.

Whitelaw’s Book of Scottish Song, p. 333.

1There was a wee cooper who lived in Fife,Nickity, nackity, noo, noo, nooAnd he has gotten a gentle wife.Hey Willie Wallacky, how John Dougall,Alane, quo Rushety, roue, roue, roue2She wadna bake, nor she wadna brew,For the spoiling o her comely hue.3She wadna card, nor she wadna spin,For the shaming o her gentle kin.4She wadna wash, nor she wadna wring,For the spoiling o her gouden ring.5The cooper’s awa to his woo-packAnd has laid a sheep-skin on his wife’s back.6‘It’s I’ll no thrash ye, for your proud kin,But I will thrash my ain sheep-skin.’7‘Oh, I will bake, and I will brew,And never mair think on my comely hue.8‘Oh, I will card, and I will spin,And never mair think on my gentle kin.9‘Oh, I will wash, and I will wring,And never mair think on my gouden ring.’10A’ ye wha hae gotten a gentle wifeSend ye for the wee cooper o Fife.

1There was a wee cooper who lived in Fife,Nickity, nackity, noo, noo, nooAnd he has gotten a gentle wife.Hey Willie Wallacky, how John Dougall,Alane, quo Rushety, roue, roue, roue

There was a wee cooper who lived in Fife,

Nickity, nackity, noo, noo, noo

And he has gotten a gentle wife.

Hey Willie Wallacky, how John Dougall,

Alane, quo Rushety, roue, roue, roue

2She wadna bake, nor she wadna brew,For the spoiling o her comely hue.

She wadna bake, nor she wadna brew,

For the spoiling o her comely hue.

3She wadna card, nor she wadna spin,For the shaming o her gentle kin.

She wadna card, nor she wadna spin,

For the shaming o her gentle kin.

4She wadna wash, nor she wadna wring,For the spoiling o her gouden ring.

She wadna wash, nor she wadna wring,

For the spoiling o her gouden ring.

5The cooper’s awa to his woo-packAnd has laid a sheep-skin on his wife’s back.

The cooper’s awa to his woo-pack

And has laid a sheep-skin on his wife’s back.

6‘It’s I’ll no thrash ye, for your proud kin,But I will thrash my ain sheep-skin.’

‘It’s I’ll no thrash ye, for your proud kin,

But I will thrash my ain sheep-skin.’

7‘Oh, I will bake, and I will brew,And never mair think on my comely hue.

‘Oh, I will bake, and I will brew,

And never mair think on my comely hue.

8‘Oh, I will card, and I will spin,And never mair think on my gentle kin.

‘Oh, I will card, and I will spin,

And never mair think on my gentle kin.

9‘Oh, I will wash, and I will wring,And never mair think on my gouden ring.’

‘Oh, I will wash, and I will wring,

And never mair think on my gouden ring.’

10A’ ye wha hae gotten a gentle wifeSend ye for the wee cooper o Fife.

A’ ye wha hae gotten a gentle wife

Send ye for the wee cooper o Fife.

Jamieson-Brown MS., Appendix, p. iii, letter of R. Scott to Jamieson, June 9, 1805.

1There livd a laird down into Fife,Riftly, raftly, now, now, nowAn he has married a bonny young wife.Hey Jock Simpleton, Jenny[’s] white petticoat,Robin a Rashes, now, now, now2He courted her and he brought her hame,An thought she would prove a thrifty dame.3She could neither spin nor caird,But sit in her chair and dawt the laird.4She wadna bake and she wadna brew,An a’ was for spoiling her delicate hue.5She wadna wash nor wad she wring,For spoiling o her gay goud ring.6But he has taen him to his sheep-fauld,An taen the best weather by the spauld.7Aff o the weather he took the skin,An rowt his bonny lady in.8‘I dare na thump you, for your proud kin,But well sall I lay to my ain weather’s skin.’

1There livd a laird down into Fife,Riftly, raftly, now, now, nowAn he has married a bonny young wife.Hey Jock Simpleton, Jenny[’s] white petticoat,Robin a Rashes, now, now, now

There livd a laird down into Fife,

Riftly, raftly, now, now, now

An he has married a bonny young wife.

Hey Jock Simpleton, Jenny[’s] white petticoat,

Robin a Rashes, now, now, now

2He courted her and he brought her hame,An thought she would prove a thrifty dame.

He courted her and he brought her hame,

An thought she would prove a thrifty dame.

3She could neither spin nor caird,But sit in her chair and dawt the laird.

She could neither spin nor caird,

But sit in her chair and dawt the laird.

4She wadna bake and she wadna brew,An a’ was for spoiling her delicate hue.

She wadna bake and she wadna brew,

An a’ was for spoiling her delicate hue.

5She wadna wash nor wad she wring,For spoiling o her gay goud ring.

She wadna wash nor wad she wring,

For spoiling o her gay goud ring.

6But he has taen him to his sheep-fauld,An taen the best weather by the spauld.

But he has taen him to his sheep-fauld,

An taen the best weather by the spauld.

7Aff o the weather he took the skin,An rowt his bonny lady in.

Aff o the weather he took the skin,

An rowt his bonny lady in.

8‘I dare na thump you, for your proud kin,But well sall I lay to my ain weather’s skin.’

‘I dare na thump you, for your proud kin,

But well sall I lay to my ain weather’s skin.’

Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 324.

1There lives a landart laird in Fife,And he has married a dandily wife.2She wadna shape, nor yet wad she sew,But sit wi her cummers and fill hersell fu.3She wadna spin, nor yet wad she card,But she wad sit and crack wi the laird.4He is down to his sheep-faldAnd cleckit a weather by the back-spald.5He’s whirpled aff the gude weather’s-skinAnd wrappit the dandily lady therein.6‘I darena pay you, for your gentle kin,But weel I may skelp my weather’s-skin.’

1There lives a landart laird in Fife,And he has married a dandily wife.

There lives a landart laird in Fife,

And he has married a dandily wife.

2She wadna shape, nor yet wad she sew,But sit wi her cummers and fill hersell fu.

She wadna shape, nor yet wad she sew,

But sit wi her cummers and fill hersell fu.

3She wadna spin, nor yet wad she card,But she wad sit and crack wi the laird.

She wadna spin, nor yet wad she card,

But she wad sit and crack wi the laird.

4He is down to his sheep-faldAnd cleckit a weather by the back-spald.

He is down to his sheep-fald

And cleckit a weather by the back-spald.

5He’s whirpled aff the gude weather’s-skinAnd wrappit the dandily lady therein.

He’s whirpled aff the gude weather’s-skin

And wrappit the dandily lady therein.

6‘I darena pay you, for your gentle kin,But weel I may skelp my weather’s-skin.’

‘I darena pay you, for your gentle kin,

But weel I may skelp my weather’s-skin.’

A.a.The refrain, altered by Jamieson, has been restored from his preface. Five stanzas added by him at the end have been dropped.b.From the recitation of Miss Agnes Macmath, 29th April, 1893; learned by her from her mother, who had it fromhermother, Janet Spark, Kirkcudbrightshire.

a.The refrain, altered by Jamieson, has been restored from his preface. Five stanzas added by him at the end have been dropped.

b.From the recitation of Miss Agnes Macmath, 29th April, 1893; learned by her from her mother, who had it fromhermother, Janet Spark, Kirkcudbrightshire.

2.She could na wash and she could na wring,Hey, Wullie Wyliecot, noo, noo, nooFor the spoiling o her gay gold ring.Wi my Hey, Wullie Wyliecot, tangie dooble,That robes in the rassiecot, noo, noo, noo

She could na wash and she could na wring,

Hey, Wullie Wyliecot, noo, noo, noo

For the spoiling o her gay gold ring.

Wi my Hey, Wullie Wyliecot, tangie dooble,

That robes in the rassiecot, noo, noo, noo

(Refrain perhaps corrupt.)

3.He’s gane oot unto the fauld,He’s catched a wather by the spaul.5.‘I darena thrash ye, for yer kin,But I may thrash my ain wather-skin.’

3.He’s gane oot unto the fauld,He’s catched a wather by the spaul.

He’s gane oot unto the fauld,

He’s catched a wather by the spaul.

5.‘I darena thrash ye, for yer kin,But I may thrash my ain wather-skin.’

‘I darena thrash ye, for yer kin,

But I may thrash my ain wather-skin.’

FOOTNOTES:[90]Bacein the second copy, rightly, that is,bash, beat;barein the first (probably mistranscribed).[91]A merry jeste of a shrewde and curste wyfe lapped in Morrelles skin for her good behauyour. Imprinted at London in Fleetestreete, beneath the Conduite, at the signe of Saint John Euangelist, by H. Jackson; without date, but earlier than 1575, since the book was in Captain Cox’s library. Reprinted in Utterson’s Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry, 1825, II, 169; The Old Taming of the Shrew, edited by T. Amyot for the Shakespeare Society, 1844, p. 53; W. C. Hazlitt’s Early Popular Poetry, IV, 179.[92]These passages are worth noting:She can carde, she can spin,She can thresh and she can fan. (v. 419 f.)In euery hand a rod he gateAnd layd vpon her a right good pace. (v. 955 f.)Where art thou, wife? shall I haue any meate? (v. 839.)(Compare Herd’s fragments with the last two, and with 903-10.)

[90]Bacein the second copy, rightly, that is,bash, beat;barein the first (probably mistranscribed).

[91]A merry jeste of a shrewde and curste wyfe lapped in Morrelles skin for her good behauyour. Imprinted at London in Fleetestreete, beneath the Conduite, at the signe of Saint John Euangelist, by H. Jackson; without date, but earlier than 1575, since the book was in Captain Cox’s library. Reprinted in Utterson’s Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry, 1825, II, 169; The Old Taming of the Shrew, edited by T. Amyot for the Shakespeare Society, 1844, p. 53; W. C. Hazlitt’s Early Popular Poetry, IV, 179.

[92]These passages are worth noting:She can carde, she can spin,She can thresh and she can fan. (v. 419 f.)In euery hand a rod he gateAnd layd vpon her a right good pace. (v. 955 f.)Where art thou, wife? shall I haue any meate? (v. 839.)(Compare Herd’s fragments with the last two, and with 903-10.)

[92]These passages are worth noting:

She can carde, she can spin,She can thresh and she can fan. (v. 419 f.)In euery hand a rod he gateAnd layd vpon her a right good pace. (v. 955 f.)Where art thou, wife? shall I haue any meate? (v. 839.)

She can carde, she can spin,She can thresh and she can fan. (v. 419 f.)

She can carde, she can spin,

She can thresh and she can fan. (v. 419 f.)

In euery hand a rod he gateAnd layd vpon her a right good pace. (v. 955 f.)

In euery hand a rod he gate

And layd vpon her a right good pace. (v. 955 f.)

Where art thou, wife? shall I haue any meate? (v. 839.)

(Compare Herd’s fragments with the last two, and with 903-10.)

Back to Index Next