song—green grow the rashes

  a fragment

  chor.—green grow the rashes, o;

  green grow the rashes, o;

  the sweetest hours that e'er i spend,

  are spent amang the lasses, o.

  there's nought but care on ev'ry han',

  in ev'ry hour that passes, o:

  what signifies the life o' man,

  an' 'twere na for the lasses, o.

  green grow, &c.

  the war'ly race may riches chase,

  an' riches still may fly them, o;

  an' tho' at last they catch them fast,

  their hearts can ne'er enjoy them, o.

  green grow, &c.

  but gie me a cannie hour at e'en,

  my arms about my dearie, o;

  an' war'ly cares, an' war'ly men,

  may a' gae tapsalteerie, o!

  green grow, &c.

  for you sae douce, ye sneer at this;

  ye're nought but senseless asses, o:

  the wisest man the warl' e'er saw,

  he dearly lov'd the lasses, o.

  green grow, &c.

  auld nature swears, the lovely dears

  her noblest work she classes, o:

  her prentice han' she try'd on man,

  an' then she made the lasses, o.

  green grow, &c.