Epistle ti a Maisic Teacher

McEwen, Gavin

The Fiddle

The teacher speired
Ma bairn anent
The name o a
stringed instrument.

Nae sweit, nae darg,
Nae need ti swick'er,
Yon's a fiddle.
O that I'm siccar.

Ochone ma loon,
Ye canna win.
She cries the fiddle
A violin.

In her buik
Ye maun be wrang;
The guid word fiddle
Is hauf-weys slang.

For reel or jig,
Strathspey, slow air,
Our land's weel kent
Beyond compare.

O teacher, it wad be a sin
Tae play sic sprigs on a violin!