In this the week of the release of the Outlaw King it seemed fitting to choose two very different poems involving The Bruce. Scots Wha Hae, or also known as Robert the Bruce’s Address to His Troops at Bannockburn and The Spider’s legend of Robert the Bruce.
Image credit Wikimedia Commons
Scots Wha Hae
Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led;
Welcome to your gory bed,
Or to victory!
Now’s the day, and now’s the hour;
See the front o’ battle lour;
See approach proud Edward’s power—
Chains and slavery!
Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha can fill a coward’s grave!
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee!
Wha for Scotland’s king and law
Freedom’s sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand, or freeman fa’,
Let him follow me!
By oppression’s woes and pains!
By your sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free!
Lay the proud usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty’s in every blow!—
Let us do or die!
Scots Wha Hae sung by The Corries below
Image rights, Wikimedia
The Spider’s Legend of Robert the Bruce
Ah got scunnert tryin’ tae spin
a web for denner,
the stane wis a’ slaisterie,
ah couldnae get a grip,
ah wis hauf stairved by the end,
no even a midge tae claucht,
then a big lug o’ a mon cam in,
raggety, right dosser,
mair hungert looking than me,
stairted eyeing me up,
ah thought, am off,
swung like tarzan
oot the cave on a thread
thick as a wean’s wrist.
Seemed tae cheer him up.
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