---
title: "Johnie Lad, Cock up Your Beaver"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Poem"
year: "1791"
location: "Ellisland"
source: "Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/poems/johnie-lad-cock-up-your-beaver/"
---

# Johnie Lad, Cock up Your Beaver

## Poem
When first my brave Johnie lad came to this town,  
He had a blue bonnet that wanted the crown;  
But now he has gotten a hat and a feather,  
Hey, brave Johnie lad, cock up your beaver!

Cock up your beaver, and cock it fu’ sprush,  
We’ll over the border, and gie them a brush;  
There’s somebody there we’ll teach better behaviour,  
Hey, brave Johnie lad, cock up your beaver!

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt)  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/poems/johnie-lad-cock-up-your-beaver/