The Deil's Awa Wi' Th' Exciseman

Tune--"_The Deil cam' fiddling through the town._"

[Composed and sung by the poet at a festive meeting of the excisemen
of the Dumfries district.]

I.
    The deil cam' fiddling through the town,
      And danced awa wi' the Exciseman,
    And ilka wife cries--"Auld Mahoun,
      I wish you luck o' the prize, man!"
        The deil's awa, the deil's awa,
          The deil's awa wi' the Exciseman;
        He's danc'd awa, he's danc'd awa,
          He's danc'd awa wi' the Exciseman!
II.
    We'll mak our maut, we'll brew our drink,
      We'll dance, and sing, and rejoice, man;
    And mony braw thanks to the meikle black deil
      That danc'd awa wi' the Exciseman.
III.
    There's threesome reels, there's foursome reels,
      There's hornpipes and strathspeys, man;
    But the ae best dance e'er cam to the land
      Was--the deil's awa wi' the Exciseman.
        The deil's awa, the deil's awa,
          The deil's awa wi' the Exciseman:
        He's danc'd awa, he's danc'd awa,
          He's danc'd awa wi' the Exciseman.