The Cardin' O't, the Spinnin' O't
written in 1796
The cardin' o't, the spinnin' o't, The warpin' o't, the winnin' o't; When ilka ell cost me a groat, The tailor staw the lynin' o't. I coft a stane o' haslock woo', To mak a wab to Johnie o't ; For Johnie is my only jo, I loe him best of onie yet. For tho' his locks be lyart grey, And tho' his brow be beld aboon, Yet I hae seen him on a day, The pride of a' the parishen. The cardin' o't, the spinnin' o't, The warpin' o't, the winnin' o't ; When ilka ell cost me a groat, The tailor staw the lynin' o't.
The Cardin' O't, the Spinnin' O't - context Summary
Written in 1796
Composed in Scots dialect, this short song presents a domestic, comic scene of thrift, textile work and enduring affection. The repeated refrain names stages of cloth-making—carding, spinning, warping, weaving—and frames a small domestic grievance: the tailor stole the lining. The speaker buys wool to weave a web for her beloved Johnie, whom she praises despite his grey hair and balding brow. The poem balances playful material detail with a steady note of fondness, typical of Burns's interest in everyday rural life and songlike simplicity.
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