Page:The poetical works of Robert Burns.djvu/369

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THE SONGS OF BURNS.
297

THE HERON BALLADS.

FIRST BALLAD.

Whom will you send to London town,To Parliament and a' that?Or wha in a' the country roundThe best deserves to fa' that?For a' that, an' a' that,Thro' Galloway and a' that;Where is the laird or belted knightThat best deserves to fa' that?
Wha sees Kerroughtree's open yett,And wha is't never saw that?Wha ever wi' Kerroughtree meetsAnd has a doubt of a' that?For a' that, an' a' that,Here's Heron yet for a' that;The independent patriot,The honest man, an' a' that.
Tho' wit and worth in either sex,St. Mary's Isle can shaw that;Wi' dukes an' lords let Selkirk mix,And weel does Selkirk fa' that.For a' that, an' a' that,Here's Heron yet for a' that!The independent commonerShall be the man for a' that.
But why should we to nobles jouk,And is't against the law that;For why, a lord may be a gouk,Wi' ribbon, star, an' a' that.For a' that, an' a' that,Here's Heron yet for a' that!A lord may be a lousy loun,Wi' ribbon, star, an' a' that.
A beardless boy comes o'er the hills,Wi' uncle's purse an' a' that;But we'll hae ane frae 'mang oursels,A man we ken, an' a' that.For a' that, an' a' that!Here's Heron yet for a' that!For we're not to be bought an' soldLike naigs, an' nowt, an' a' that.
Then let us drink the Stewartry,Kerroughtree's laird, an' a' that,Our representative to be,For weel he's worthy a' that.For a' that, an' a' that,Here's Heron yet for a' that!A House of Commons such as he,They would be blest that saw that.

THE ELECTION.

SECOND BALLAD.

Fy, let us a' to Kirkcudbright,For there will be bickerin' there;For Murray's light-horse are to muster,And O, how the heroes will swear!An' there will be Murray commander,And Gordon the battle to win;Like brothers they'll stand by each other,Sae knit in alliance an' kin.
An' there will be black-lippit Johnnie,The tongue o' the trump to them a';An he get na hell for his haddin'The Deil gets na justice ava';An' there will be Kempleton's birkie,A boy no sae black at the bane,But, as for his fine nabob fortune,We'll e'en let the subject alane.
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