The Neibors Doon Belaa
Aa'll tell ye the dein's o' some o' the foaks that leeves i' wor neiborhood,
'Thor a lot o' lazy good for nowts
An' the myest o' them's far frae good.
Frae Sunday morn till Satterday neet
Thor cadjin' neet an' day,
An' whativvor they borrow they nivvor retorn,
So ye might as well hoy it away.
They'll borrow yor onnions, leeks an' peas
Whenivvor thor pot's te boil,
They ax for happeny candles if they canna get paraffin oil.
Whativvor they borrow they nivvor retorn,
Sich foaks Aa nivvor saa.
They'll skin a rat for its hide an' fat
Will the neibors doon belaa.
Thor's Mistress Jones set up hor gob,
An' axed us what Aa meant,
'Cos Aa waddent lend hor haaf-a-croon
Te help hor te pay the rent.
Aa've lent hor mony a one afore,
But Aa'll nivver dee'd agyen,
For she called us a hot-heeded fiery feul,
An' she hit us wiv a styen.
They'll borrow, etc
Aa started a shop, but oh! dear me
Of that Aa seun got sick;
It wes like a clock that waddent gan
Wivoot its favorite tick:
The mainspring broke, the clock wes then
Hoyed oot inti the street;
Aa often said the clock wad gan
If the neibors wad de reet.
They'll borrow, etc
James Weams.
Notes:
Foaks: folk, people
Myest: most
Frae: from
Cadjin: cadjing - borrowing
Hoy: Throw
Gob: mouth
Haaf-a-croon: Half-a-Crown - 12.5p
Styen: Stone