The Tod

The Tod
Traditional lyrics arranged by Alastair McDonald

‘Hi,’ quo the tod. ‘It’s a braw licht nicht,
The wind’s in the West and the moon shines bricht,
The wind’s in the West and the moon shines bricht,
And I’ll awa tae the toun-o,
Toun-o,
Toun-o,
The wind’s in the West and the moon shines bricht
And I’ll awa tae the toun-o.’

‘Twas in ahint yon shepherd’s scroggs,
I’d like tae hae been worried by his dogs,
But by my sooth, I minded his hoggs
The nicht I cam tae the toun-o.
Toun-o,
Toun-o,
But by my sooth, I minded his hoggs
The nicht I cam tae the toun-o.’

He’s grabbed the grey goose by the green sleeve.
‘Hey! ye auld witch nae langer shall ye live,
Your flesh it is tender, your bones I maun prieve,
And for that I cam tae the toun-o!
Toun-o,
Toun-o,
Your flesh it is tender, your bones I maun prieve,
And for that I cam tae the toun-o!

Up gat the auld wife oot o her bed,
And oot o the windae she poked her auld heid,
‘Hey, guidman! the grey goose is deid,
The tod’s been here in the toun-o!
Toun-o,
Toun-o,
Hey, guidman! the grey goose is deid,
And the tod’s been here in the toun-o!’

The tod he rade tae his cozy den,
There lay the wee yins eight nine ten,
They said, ‘Daddy, better gang back again
Because that shair wis a braw, braw toun-o.
Toun-o,
Toun-o,
They said, ‘Daddy, better gang back again
Because that shair wis a braw, braw toun-o.’

Sae again quo the tod. ‘It’s a braw licht nicht,
The wind’s in the West and the moon shines bricht,
The wind’s in the West and the moon shines bricht,
And again I’ll awa tae the toun-o,
Toun-o,
Toun-o,
The wind’s in the West and the moon shines bricht
And again I’ll awa tae the toun-o.’