> Folk Music > Songs > Pawkie Paiterson’ Auld Grey Yaud / Robin Spraggon’s Auld Grey Mare

Pawkie Paiterson’ Auld Grey Yaud / Robin Spraggon’s Auld Grey Mare

[ Roud 3063 ; Ballad Index FVS311 ; George Ballantyne]

J. Collingwood Bruce, John Stokoe: Northumbrian Minstrelsy John Stokoe: Songs and Ballads of Northern England

Carolyn Robson sang Robin Spraggon’s Auld Grey Mare in 1981 on her Dingle’s album Banks of Tyne. She noted:

Robin Spraggon’s Auld Grey Mare was one of the few songs ever to be collected in Hexham. It dates back to about 1780 and the tune is probably older still.

Deaf Shepherd sang Pawkie Paiterson in 1997 on their Greentrax album Synergy. They noted:

This is a humorous song about an old Hawick personality learned from Henry Douglas, a fine singer from Howahill Farm near Hawick in the Scottish Borders. He and his wife forced alcohol and sandwiches down the throats of Malcolm McEwen (another fine local singer) and John [Morran] during a night of song-swapping at the Douglas farm. The Scots word ‘pawkie’ means sly and sneaky but not usually in a nasty sense—more lucky than anything else. It is often used as a nickname and presumably that is how it is used in this song title. It can be found in The Hawick Songs sponsored by the Hawick Callants Club and published by Mozart Allan in 1957.

Terry Conway sang Robin Spraggon’s Auld Grey Mare in 1998 on Kathryn Tickell & Friends’ Park Records CD The Northumberland Collection.

John Nichol sang Pawkie Paiterson in 2002 on the Borders Tradition anthology Borders Sangsters.

Jim Malcolm sang Pawkie Paiterson’ Auld Grey Yaud on his 2013 album Still. He noted:

I first heard this song from Hawick sung by John Morran of Deaf Shepherd. It was written by George Ballantyne.

Lyrics

Jim Malcolm sings Pawkie Paiterson’ Auld Grey Yaud

As I was gaun up Hawick Loan
Yeh Monanday at morn
I heard a puir auld grey meer
Gie mony a heavy groan,
Gie mony a heavy groan, sir,
And this she said to me:
“I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud,
See how they’re guiden me.”

“The miller o Hawick Mill bred me
And that I du weel ken;
The miller o Hawick Mill fed me,
Wi mony a sort o corn.
But now the case is altered,
And this ye plainly see,
I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud,
Sei how they’re guiden me.”

“When a’ the rest’s set to the corn
I’m sent oot to the fog;
When a’ the rest’s set to the hay
I’m sent oot to the bog.
It’s I gaed into Hawick Moss,
Twas like tae swally me;
I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud
See how they’re guiden me.”

“And as for Nellie Harkness
She ryses in the morn,
And cries: ‘Oh God sakes, uncle,
The yaud’s amang the corn.’
He tuik his muckle plew-staff
And cam and swabbled me,
Aw’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud
See how they’re guiden me.”

And Rob Young o’ the Back Raw,
Hei’s of’en shod ma clutes,
Sae I wull leave him ma shank banes
To be a pair of butes.
If he push his legs weel in them,
They’ll come up till his knee –
I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud
See how they’re guiden me.”

“And as for Peggy Duncan,
She is a bonnie lass,
Saw I wull leave her ma een holes
Tae be a squintin’ glass,
Tae gar her eyn see strechter
For they of’en stand aglei,
I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud
See how they’re guiden me.”

“As for the minister o’ Wilton,
His coat it is worn thin,
And for to keep him frae the cauld,
I’ll leave him ma auld skin,
Wi hide and hair, to keep him warm
As lang as it’s dune me,
I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud
See how they’re guiden me.”

“And as for Stonie Stewart,
He’s of’en scarce o’ stanes,
And for to mend his auld fail dykes
I’ll leave him my auld banes;
And a’ the callants o’ Hawick Loan
Wull make banefires o’ me,
I’m Pawkie Paiterson’s auld grey yaud
Sae that’s the end o me.”