Be Kind to Yer Nainsel', John

cho: O be kind to yer nainsel', John
O be kind to yer nainsel', John
Wi' a wee bittie butter and a wee pickle sugar
O be kind to yer nainsel', John

There is thirty acres o' good lan'
There is thirty acres o' good lan'
There's corn to the lassie an' the bere to the laddie
So be kind to your nainsel', John.

There's three horse i' the stable
There's three horse i' the stable
There's ane to the lassie and anither to the laddie
An' the stallion to yer nainsel', John

There's three nout in the byre
There's three nout in the byre
There's ane to he lassie an' anither to the laddie
An the stirkie to yer nainsel, John.

My wifes's dead an' gone
Ah, my wife's dead an' gone
I must have anither, I've got plenty to keep her
And be kind to my nainsel' John.

nainsel' : own self
bere : a coarse form of barley
pickle : a small quantity
nout : cattle
byre : cowshed
stirkie : young bullock

From the Grieg-Duncan Collection (706C)
Collected from Andrew Walker
RG
Apr98