Hazel Whyte
Woman's Work
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Scottish Songs and Celtic Ballads
Modern
and
Traditional
Folk Music
Woman's Wark Will Ne'er Be Dun

Woman's wark will ne'er be dune,
Although the day were ne'er sae lang;
Sae meikle but, sae meikle ben, -
But for her care a' wad gae wrang:
And aiblins a poor thriftless wight
To spend the gear sae ill to won,
Aft gars an eyedant thrifty wife
Say "Woman's wark will ne'er be dune."

We little think, in youthfu' prime,
When wooing, what our weird may be;
But aye we dream, and aye we hope,
That blythe and merry days we'll see:
And blythe and merry might we be.
But when is heard the weary tune,
"The morn it comes, the morn it gaes,
But woman's wark will ne'er be dune."

I've been at bridals and at feasts,
When care was in the nappy drowned,
The world might sink, or it might swim,
Man, wife and weans were a' aboon't:
But-wae's my heart to think upon't!-
The neist day brought the waefu' croon,
"Come bridals, or come merry feasts,
Woman's wark will ne'er be dune."

Twa bairnies toddlin at the fit,
An' aiblins ane upon the knee,
Gar life appear an unco faught,
An' mony hae the like to dree;
But cherub lips an' kisses sweet
Keep aye a mither's heart aboon,
Although the owrecome o' the sang
Is "Woman's wark will ne'er be dune."