Bonie Laddie, Highland Laddie
written in 1791
Bonie Laddie, Highland Laddie - context Summary
Written in 1791
Composed in 1791, this short song presents a speaker recounting a visit to Crookieden where they observed "Willie and his men." The poem frames violent retribution—enemies who "brunt and slew" finally receiving their due—alongside darkly comic imagery of Satan and hell mocking a Duke. It blends triumph, vengeance, and grotesque satire in a compact folk-song voice, using repetition to create chant-like momentum. The piece reads as an immediate, performative report that amplifies communal memory of conflict through vivid, theatrical language.
Read Complete AnalysesI Hae been at Crookieden, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie, Viewing Willie and his men, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie. There our faes that brunt and slew, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie, There, at last, they get their due, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie. Satan sits in his black neuk, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie, Breaking sticks to roast the Duke, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie, The bloody monster gae a yell, My bonie laddie, Highland laddie. And loud the laugh gaed round a' hell My bonie laddie, Highland laddie.
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