"Wha is that at my bower-door?" "O wha is it but Findlay!" "Then gae your gate, ye'se nae be here:" "Indeed maun I," quo' Findlay; "What mak' ye, sae like a thief?" "O come and see," quo' Findlay; "Before the morn ye'll work mischief:" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay. "Gif I rise and let you in"- "Let me in," quo' Findlay; "Ye'll keep me waukin wi' your din;" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay; "In my bower if ye should stay"- "Let me stay," quo' Findlay; "I fear ye'll bide till break o' day;" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay. "Here this night if ye remain"- "I'll remain," quo' Findlay; "I dread ye'll [learn]1 the gate again;" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay. "What may pass within this bower"- "Let it pass," quo' Findlay; "Ye maun conceal till your last hour:" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Scott: "ken"
Glossary
maun = must
bide = remain
waukin = awake
din = noise
ken = know
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "Wha is that at my bower-door?", published 1939 [ low voice and piano ], from Scottish Lyrics, Book 5, no. 6, Bayley & Ferguson; confirmed with Songs of Francis George Scott, selected and edited by Neil Mackay, Roberton Publications, Aylesbury 1980, page 96. [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) ; composed by Carl Loewe, Eusebius Mandyczewski.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858) , "Der kecke Finlay" ; composed by Robert Schumann.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak (1887 - 1964) ; composed by Georgiy Vasil'yevich Sviridov.
- Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Gustaf Fröding (1860 - 1911) ; composed by Emil Sjögren.
- Also set in Swiss German (Schwizerdütsch), a translation by August Corrodi (1826 - 1885) ; composed by Friedrich Niggli.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Kdo do komůrky mé by rád?"
- HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , "Ki vagy te ott a kert alatt?", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-20
Line count: 24
Word count: 143
- Кто там стучится в поздний час? "Конечно, я - Финддей!" - Ступай домой. Все спят у нас! "Не все!" - сказал Финдлей. - Как ты прийти ко мне посмел? "Посмел!" - сказал Финдлей. - Небось наделаешь ты дел... "Могу!" - сказал Финдлей. - Тебе калитку отвори... "А ну!" - сказал Финдлей. - Ты спать не дашь мне до зари! "Не дам!" - сказал Финдлей. - Попробуй в дом тебя впустить... "Впусти!" - сказал Финдлей. - Всю ночь ты можешь прогостить. "Всю ночь!" - сказал Финдлей. - С тобою ночь одну побудь... "Побудь! - сказал Финдлей, - Побудь!" - Ко мне опять найдешь ты путь. "Найду!" - сказал Финдлей, - Найду!" - О том, что буду я с тобой... "Со мной!" - сказал Финдлей. - Молчи до крышки гробовой! "Идет!" - сказал Финдлей.
Show a transliteration: Default | DIN | GOST
Note on TransliterationsAuthorship:
- by Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak (1887 - 1964) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Georgiy Vasil'yevich Sviridov (1915 - 1998), "Финдлей" [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2021-08-29
Line count: 24
Word count: 133