# The Book of Scottish Song/Our gudeman cam' hame

Our gudeman cam' hame.
[This highly humorous old ditty is preserved in the second edition of David Herd's collection, 1776. Johnson recovered the tune from the singing of an old hair-dresser in Edinburgh, and published it for the first time in the 5th vol. of his Museum.]
Our gudeman cam' hame at e'en, And hame cam' he; And there he saw a saddle-horse, Where nae horse should be. Oh, how cam' this horse here? How can this be? How cam' this horse here, Without the leave o' me? A horse! quo' she; Ay, a horse, quo' he. Ye auld blind dotard carle, And blinder mat ye be! It's but a bonnie milk-cow, My mither sent to me. A milk-cow! quo' he; Ay, a milk-cow, quo' she. Far ha'e I ridden, And muckle ha'e I seen; But a saddle on a milk-cow Saw I never nane.
Our gudeman cam' hame at e'en, And hame cam' he; He spied a pair o' jack-boots, Where nae boots should be. What's this now, gudewife? What's this I see? How cam' thae boots here, Without the leave o' me? Boots! quo' she; Ay, boots, quo' he. Ye auld blind dotard carle, And blinder mat ye be! It's but a pair o' water-stoups, The cooper sent to me. Water-stoups! quo' he; Ay, water-stoups, quo' she. Far ha'e I ridden, And muckle ha'e I seen; But siller-spurs on water-stoups Saw I never nane.
Our gudeman cam' hame at e'en, And hame cam' he, And there he saw a siller-sword, Where nae sword should be. What's this now, gudewife? What's this I see? O how cam' this sword here, Without the leave o' me? A sword! quo' she; Ay, a sword, quo' he. Ye auld blind dotard carle, And blinder ma ye be! It's but a parridge-spurtle, My minnie sent to me. A parridge-spurtle! quo' he; Ay, a parridge-spurtle, quo' she. Weel, far ha'e I ridden, And muckle ha'e I seen; But siller-handed parridge-spurtles Saw I never nane.
Our gudeman cam' hame at e'en, And hame cam' he; And there he spied a powder'd wig, Where nae wig should be. What's this now, gudewife? What's this I see? How cam' this wig here, Without the leave o' me? ​A wig! quo' she; Ay, a wig, quo' he. Ye auld blind dotard carle, And blinder mat ye be! 'Tis naething but a clocken-hen My minnie sent to me. A clocken-hen! quo' he; Ay, a clocken-hen, quo' she. Far ha'e I ridden, And muckle ha'e I seen, But powder on a clocken-hen Saw I never nane.
Our gudeman cam' hame at e'en, And hame cam' he; And there he saw a muckle coat, Where nae coat should be. How cam' this coat here? How can this be? How cam' this coat here, Without the leave o' me? A coat! quo' she; Ay, a coat, quo' he. Ye auld blind dotard carle, And blinder mat ye be! It's but a pair o' blankets My minnie sent to me. Blankets! quo' he, Ay, blankets, quo' she. Far ha'e I ridden, And muckle ha'e I seen; But buttons upon blankets Saw I never nane!
Ben gaed our gudeman, And ben gaed he; And there he spied a sturdy man, Where nae man should be. How cam' this man here? How can this be? How cam' this man here, Without the leave o' me? A man! quo' she; Ay, a man, quo' he. Puir blind body, And blinder mat you be! It's but a new milkin' maid, My mither sent to me. A maid! quo' he; Ay, a maid, quo' she. Far ha'e I ridden, And muckle ha'e I seen, But lang-bearded maidens Saw I never nane.