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Skeat, Walter William, 1835-1912

"English Dialects From the Eighth Century to the Present Day"


Come, Matty, come, an' cool my yed;
Aw'm finish'd, to my thinkin';"
Hoo happed him nicely up, an' said,
"Thae'st brought it on wi' drinkin'."--
"Nay, nay," said he, "my fuddle's done,
We're partin' tone fro tother;
So promise me that, when aw'm gwon,
Thea'll never wed another!"
"Th' owd tale," said hoo, an' laft her stoo;
"It's rayly past believin';
Thee think o' th' world thea'rt goin' to,
An' lev this world to th' livin';
What use to me can deeod folk be?
Thae's kilt thisel' wi' spreein";
An' iv that's o' thae wants wi' me,
Get forrud wi' thi deein'!"
Notes.--_Owd_, old; _rackless foo_, reckless fool; _spreein'_,
merry-making, drinking; _-do_, bout; _He're_, he would be;
_crack o' deein'_ , hint at dying; _Aw's_, I shall; _trail_,
walk in; _ballis-pipes_, bellows-pipes, lungs; _eawt_, out;
_wynt_, wind.
_Eawr_, our, my; _Hoo_, she; _brass_, money; _yo'n_, you will;
_lev_, leave; _wick_, quick, i.e. alive.
_Yed_, head; _happed_, covered; _fuddle_, drinking-bout;
_tone fro tother_, the one from the other.


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