Mollyndroat the Fairy Spinner

(From “The Maid of Ballalonna”)

Here I sit a-spinning all the night through,

Spinning at the whizzing wheel,

The flashing wheel, the busy wheel,

Spinning for a woman who does not know what to do.

Here I sit a-spinning wool that’s scarlet red,

Spinning at the whizzing wheel,

The flashing wheel, the busy wheel

Spinning while the lazy woman’s fast asleep in bed.

Here I sit a-grinning; she must guess my name !

Else the wool comes back to me,

And she is known for what she be,

A lazy ligger-my-craa and the world will know her shame.

Here I sit a-spinning for the old man’s coat,

Spinning at the whizzing wheel,

The flashing wheel, the busy wheel,

For his good wife will never guess my name is Mollyndroat !

Weekly Times     28.6.63