Nellie's Wooin

Nellie's Wooin

Mackie, Dr Lewis

Now listen tae me an' a'll tell you a story kent by few,
0' a coortin in this fishertoon astonishin bit true.
The characters in this tale o love were Jimicky an' Nell,
A mair unlikely story it wid be hard tae tell
For Nellie she wis five fit six an Jimicky five fit bare,
An Nell had set her hopes on a man aboot six fit or mair.

Bit Jimicky hid haunted Nell fae days back in the squeel,
Though Nell hid gaen him gey short shrift
Fan kisses he'd tried tae steal.
Try as he micht poor Jim made nae impression on that lass
Bit he made a vow that he'd mairry her afore the year should pass.
It wis now intil December and his hopes were rinnin oot
For despite a' his priggin Nellie wis resolute.
Ae day he'd tried for the umteenth time an' the answer wis still "No"!
He made up his mind that that wis that, an' off tae the pub did go!
Wi' twa three nips inside him, getting' courage frae barley bree,
He said "A'll mak an end o't if Nellie conters me"
Sae doon he wint tae the foreshore far the lads an lassies sat
Flirtin an teasin among themsels, lachin an' chewin the fat.
He look't at Nell in front o' a' an said "Wee! fit will it be,
For if you'll nae agree tae wed, it's the last you'll see o' me"
Nell shook her heid, fair scared tae speak,
For she thocht he'd leave the toon.
Bit Jimicky only squared his caip an' tae the shore wint doon.

The tide wis in an' wi' face set stern he walked intil the sea,
An' horrified puir Nellie watched the end o' her Jimicky.
"Oh, No" she shouted,"Get him oot an tell him tae ask again,
Even though he's only five fit bare A'll tak him for ma ain".

Now a' that wis seen wis Jimicky's caip afloatin on the tide,
An' the rest o' him wis underneath, my God he nearly died.
Bit in jumped Tam an' Sandy Da an fished him oot richt then,
For though the water wis ower his heid, they were baith big men.

Weel, Jimicky mairried Nellie an' they hid a happy life,
For Nell wis prood o' her stocky wee man
An' he wis prood o' his wife.
An' aften fan in later years they spoke aboot that day,
Their een wid shine an Nell wid lauch an' turn tae Jim an' say
"Wid ye dee it again my bonny lad, wid ye dee it again for me?"
An' Jimicky wid grin an say "Oh aye, if only ye'd warm the sea"!