On their way home together, Marshall remarked
that the words of the landlord's song were vastly inferior to the tune,
and humorously suggested the following burlesque parody of the first
stanza:--
"There 's mony a dainty cabbage-stock in our kail-yard,
There 's mony a dainty cabbage-stock in our kail-yard,
They were set by Charlie Marshall,
And pu'd by Nannie Laird,
Yet there 's mony a dainty cabbage-stock in our kail-yard."
He added that Tannahill would do well to compose suitable words for the
music. The hint sufficed; the friends met after a fortnight's interval,
when the poet produced and read the song of "Yon burn side." It
immediately became popular. Marshall used to relate this anecdote with
much feeling. He died in March 1851, at the age of fourscore.
THE BRAES O' GLENIFFER.[81]
AIR--_"Bonny Dundee."_
Keen blaws the wind o'er the braes o' Gleniffer,
The auld castle's turrets are cover'd wi' snaw;
How changed frae the time when I met wi' my lover,
Amang the broom bushes by Stanley-green shaw:
The wild flowers o' summer were spread a' sae bonnie,
The mavis sang sweet frae the green birken tree;
But far to the camp they hae march'd my dear Johnnie,
And now it is winter wi' nature and me.
Then ilk thing around us was blythesome and cheery,
Then ilk thing around us was bonny and braw;
Now naething is heard but the wind whistling dreary,
And naething is seen but the wide-spreading snaw.
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