Behave yoursel' before folk

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠And dinna be sae rude to me

⁠As kiss me sae before folk.

It wadna gi'e me meikle pain,

Gin we were seen and heard by nane,

To tak' a kiss, or grant you ane;

⁠But guidsake! no before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;

⁠Whate'er ye do, when out o' view,

⁠Be cautious aye before folk.

Consider, lad, how folk will crack.

And what a great affair they'll mak'

O' naething but a simple smack,

⁠That's gi'en or ta'en before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;

⁠Nor gi'e the tongue o' auld or young

⁠Occasion to come o'er folk.

It's no through hatred o' a kiss,

That I sae plainly tell you this;

But, losh! I tak' it sair amiss

⁠To be sae teazed before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;

⁠When we're our lane ye may tak' ane,

⁠But fient a ane before folk.

I'm sure wi' you I've been as free

As ony modest lass should be;

But yet it doesna do to see

⁠Sic freedom used before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;

⁠I'll ne'er submit again to it —

⁠So mind you that — before folk.

Ye tell me that my face fair;

It may be sae — I dinna care —

But ne'er again gar't blush sae sair

⁠As ye ha'e done before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠Nor heat my cheeks wi' your mad freaks,

⁠But aye be douce before folk.

Ye tell me that my lips are sweet,

Sic tales, I doubt, are a' deceit;

At ony rate, its hardly meet

⁠To pree their sweets before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk,

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;

⁠Gin that's the case, there's time, and place,

⁠But surely no before folk.

But, gin you really do insist

That I should suffer to be kiss'd,

Gae, get a license frae the priest,

⁠And mak' me yours before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk.

⁠Behave yoursel' before folk;

⁠And when we're ane, baith flesh and bane,

⁠Ye may tak' ten — before folk.

THE ANSWER.

⁠Can I behave, can I behave.

⁠Can I behave before folk.

⁠When, wily elf, your sleeky self

⁠Gars me gang gyte before folk?

In a' you do, in a' ye say,

Ye've sic a pawkie coaxing way,

That my poor wits ye lead astray,

⁠An' ding me doilt before folk!

⁠Can I behave, can I behave,

⁠Can I behave before folk.

⁠While ye ensnare, can I forbear

⁠To kiss you, though before folk?

Can I behold that dimpling cheek,

Wliar love 'mang sunny smiles might beek,

Yet, howlet-like, my e'elids steek,

⁠An' shun sic light, before folk?

⁠Can I behave, can I behave.

⁠Can I behave before folk.

⁠When ilka smile becomes a wile.

⁠Enticing me — before folk?

That lip, like Eve's forbidden fruit,

Sweet, plump, an' ripe, sae tempts me to't,

That I maun pree't, though I should rue't,

⁠Ay, twenty times — before folk!

​⁠Can I behave, can I behave,

⁠Can I behave before folk,

⁠When temptingly it offers me

⁠So rich a treat — before folk?

That gowden hair sae sunny bright;

That shapely neck o' snawy white;

That tongue, even when it tries to flyte,

⁠Provokes me till't before folk!

⁠Can I behave, can I behave,

⁠Can I behave before folk,

⁠When ilka charm, young, fresh, an' warm,

⁠Cries, "kiss me now" — before folk?

An' O! that pawkie, rowin' e'e,

Sae roguishly it blinks on me,

I canna, for my saul, let be,

⁠Frae kissing you before folk!

⁠Can I behave, can I behave,

⁠Can I behave before folk,

When ilka glint conveys a hint

⁠To tak' a smack — before folk?

Ye own, that were we baith our lane,

Ye wadna grudge to grant me ane;

Weel, gin there be nae harm in't then,

⁠What harm is in't before folk,

⁠Can I behave, can I behave,

⁠Can I behave before folk,

⁠Sly hypocrite! an anchorite

⁠Could scarce desist — before folk!

But after a' that has been said,

Since ye are willing to be wed,

We'll ha'e a "blythsome bridal" made,

⁠When ye'll be mine before folk!

⁠Then I'll behave, then I'll behave,

⁠Then I'll behave before folk;

⁠For whereas then, ye'll aft get "ten,"

⁠It winna be before folk!