“To gie yin fash,” Rob Burns declared,

“An aul’ wife’s tongue’s a feckless matter;”

But honest Robin never heard

That aul’ wife’s tongue i’ Corrie water.

An’ whan she made a calmer souch,

An’ stey’t a wee her skirlin’ ang-er,

I heard, far ben, a sweet wee lauch,

An’ dowdna thole the ordeal lang-er.

I flang the carlin fierce aside,

An’ left her up hersel’ to gether;