There, you ken, there's always some danger, and men who may dee together any day are like to be friendly while they have the chance.
I've known worse days, tak' them all in all, than those in Eddlewood Colliery.

We'd a bit cabin at the top of the brae, and there we'd keep our oil for our lamps, and leave our good coats.

We'd carry wi' us, too, our piece--bread and cheese, and cold tea, that served for the meal we ate at midday.
'Twas in the pit, I'm thinkin', I made my real start.

For 'twas there I first began to tak' heed of men and see how various they were.

Ever since then, in the days when I began to sing, and when my friends in the audiences decided that I should spend my life so instead of working mair with my twa hands, it's been what I knew of men and women that's been of service to me.