Lyrics and translation Burl Ives - Wee Cooper O' Fife

Wee Cooper O' Fife

Burl Ives - Wee Cooper of Fife

There was a wee cooper what lived in Fife
(Chorus 1: Knickety, knackety, noo noo noo)
And he had gotten a gentle wife
(Chorus 2: Hey willy-wallacky, how John Dougal, a lane quo rooshety roo roo roo).

She wouldna bake, nor she wouldna brew
(Chorus 1)
For the spoilin' o' her comely hue
(Chorus 2)

She wouldna wash, nor she wouldna wring
(Chorus 1)
For the spoilin' o' her gowden ring
(Chorus 2)

She wouldna card, nor she wouldna spin
(Chorus 1)
For the shamin' o' her gentle kin
(Chorus 2)

So the wee cooper went to his woodpack
(Chorus 1)
And laid a sheepskin on his wife's back
(Chorus 2)

'Now, I wouldna thrash ye for your gentle kin,
(Chorus 1)
But I would thrash me ain sheepskin.'
(Chorus 2)

'Oh, I will bake and I will brew,
(Chorus 1)
And nae mair think o' my comely hue!
(Chorus 2)

'And I will wash and I will wring,
(Chorus 1)
And nae mair think o' my gowden ring!
(Chorus 2)

'And I will card and I will spin
(Chorus 1)
And nae mair think o' my gentle kin!'
(Chorus 2)

So ye what has gotten a gentle wife,
(Chorus 1)
Just ye send for the wee cooper o' Fife!
(Chorus 2, slowing down at the end)

Le Petit Cooper de Fife

Burl Ives - Le Petit Cooper de Fife

Il y avait un petit cooper qui vivait à Fife
(Chorus 1: Knickety, knackety, noo noo noo)
Et il avait épousé une femme douce
(Chorus 2: Hey willy-wallacky, how John Dougal, a lane quo rooshety roo roo roo).

Elle ne voulait ni cuire, ni brasser
(Chorus 1)
Pour ne pas gâcher sa beauté
(Chorus 2)

Elle ne voulait ni laver, ni tordre
(Chorus 1)
Pour ne pas gâcher son anneau d'or
(Chorus 2)

Elle ne voulait ni carder, ni filer
(Chorus 1)
Pour ne pas salir son noble lignage
(Chorus 2)

Alors le petit cooper est allé à son bois
(Chorus 1)
Et a mis une peau de mouton sur le dos de sa femme
(Chorus 2)

'Maintenant, je ne te fouetterais pas pour ton noble lignage,
(Chorus 1)
Mais je fouetterais ma propre peau de mouton.'
(Chorus 2)

'Oh, je vais cuire et je vais brasser,
(Chorus 1)
Et je ne penserai plus à ma beauté !'
(Chorus 2)

'Et je vais laver et je vais tordre,
(Chorus 1)
Et je ne penserai plus à mon anneau d'or !'
(Chorus 2)

'Et je vais carder et je vais filer
(Chorus 1)
Et je ne penserai plus à mon noble lignage !'
(Chorus 2)

Alors toi, qui as épousé une femme douce,
(Chorus 1)
Va chercher le petit cooper de Fife !
(Chorus 2, slowing down at the end)