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| THE AULD folks sit by the fire, | |
| When the winter nichts are chill; | |
| The auld wife she plies her wire, | |
| The auld man he quaffs his yill. | |
| An’ meikle an’ lang they speak | 5 |
| O’ their youthful days gane by, | |
| When the rose it was on the cheek, | |
| An’ the pearl was on the eye! | |
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| They talk o’ their bairnies’ bairns, | |
| They talk o’ the brave and free, | 10 |
| They talk o’ their mountain cairns, | |
| An’ they talk o’ the rolling sea— | |
| An’ meikle lang they speak | |
| O’ their youthful days gane by, | |
| When the rose it was on the cheek, | 15 |
| An’ the pearl it was on the eye. | |
| |
| They talk o’ their friends lang gane, | |
| An’ the tear draps blin’ their e’e; | |
| They talk o’ the cauld kirk stane | |
| Where sune they baith maun be. | 20 |
| Yet each has had their half | |
| O’ the joys o’ this fitful sphere, | |
| So, whiles the auld folk laugh, | |
| An’ whiles they drap a tear! | |
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