Barley Bree
O, Willie brewed a peck o’ maut
And Rob and Allan cam to see;
Three blyther hearts that lee-lang night
Ye wad na found in Christendie.
Chorus
We are na fou, we’re nae that fou,
But just a drappie in our e’e!
The cock may craw, the day may daw,
And aye we’ll taste the barley bree!
Here are we met three merry boys,
Three merry boys I trow are we;
And monie a night we’ve merry been,
And monie mae we hope to be!
It is the moon, I ken her horn,
That’s linkin in the lift sae hie:
She shines sae bright to wyle us hame,
But, by my sooth, she’ll wait a wee!
Wha first shall rise to gang awa,
A cuckold, coward loon is he!
Wha first beside his chair shall fa’,
He is the King amang us three!
“Willie”, William Nicol, a master at Edinburgh High School, was on holiday near Moffat in
Dumfries-shire, when he was visited by “Rob”, Robert Burns, who commemorated the event,
and “Allan”, Allan Masterton, another master at the High School. Willie had brewed what
appeared to be an heroic amount of whisky and a fine time was had by all.
From “Scotland Dances”, by Eugenia (Jeannie) Callander Sharp
(Used by permission.)