TAK' IT, MAN, TAK' IT
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When I was a miller in Fife
Losh! I thought that the sound o' the happer
Said, "Tak' hame a wee flow to your wife
To help to mak' brose to your supper
Then my conscience was narrow and pure
But someway by random, it rackit
For I lifted twa neivefu' or mair
while the happer said, "Tak' it, man, tak' it"

Chorus:
Then hey for the mill and the kiln
The garland and gear for my cogie
And hey for the whisky and yill
That washes the dust frae my craigie

Although it's been lang in repute
For rogues to mak' rich by deceivin'
Yet I see that it disna weel suit
Honest men to begin to the thievin'
For my heart it gaed dunt upon dunt
Oh, I thought ilka dunt, it wad crack it
Sae I flang frae my neive what was in't
Still, the happer said, "Tak' it, man, tak' it"

Chorus:

A man that's been bred to the ploiugh
Might be deav'd wi' its clamorous clapper
Yet, there's few but would suffer the sough
After kenning what's said by the happer
I whiles thought it scoff'd me to scorn
Saying, "Shame, is your conscience no chackit?"
But when I grew dry for a horn
It chang'd aye to "Tak' it, man, tak' it"

Chorus:

The smugglers whiles cam' wi' their pocks
`Cause they kent that I likit a bicker
Sae I bartered whiles wi' the gowks
Gied them grain for a sowp o' their liquor
I had lang been accustom'd to drink
And aye, when I purposed to quat it
That thing, wi' its clapperttie clink
Said aye to me, "Tak' it, man, tak' it"

Chorus:

But the warst thing I did in my life
Nae doot, but ye'll think I was wrong o't
Od! I tauld a bit bodie in Fife
A' my tale, and he made a bit sang o't
I have aye had a voice a' my days
But for singin', I ne'er gat the knack o't
Yet I try whiles, just thinkin' to please
The greedy, wi'  "Tak' it, man, tak' it"

Chorus:

Now, miller and a', as I am
This far I can see through the matter
There's men mair notorious to fame
Mair greedy than me o' the muter
For, `twad seem that the hale race o' men
Or, wi' safety, the hauf we may mak' it
Ha'e some speakin' happer within
That said to them, "Tak' it, man, tak' it"

Chorus: