---
title: "Merry Hae I Been Teethin a Heckle"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Song"
year: "1785"
tune: "The bob O’ Dumblane"
location: "Mossgiel"
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/merry-hae-i-been-teethin-a-heckle/"
---

# Merry Hae I Been Teethin a Heckle

## Song
O Merry hae I been teethin’ a heckle,  
An’ merry hae I been shapin’ a spoon;  
O merry hae I been cloutin’ a kettle,  
An’ kissin’ my Katie when a’ was done.  
O a’ the lang day I ca’ at my hammer,  
An’ a’ the lang day I whistle and sing;  
O a’ the lang night I cuddle my kimmer,  
An’ a’ the lang night as happy’s a king.

Bitter in idol I lickit my winnins  
O’ marrying Bess, to gie her a slave:  
Blest be the hour she cool’d in her linnens,  
And blythe be the bird that sings on her grave!  
Come to my arms, my Katie, my Katie;  
O come to my arms and kiss me again!  
Drucken or sober, here’s to thee, Katie!  
An’ blest be the day I did it again.

---

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/merry-hae-i-been-teethin-a-heckle/