The Bob O'dumblane

The Bob O'dumblane - context Summary

Written in 1796

Composed in 1796, this short Scots lyric captures a playful exchange rooted in rural domestic life and communal entertainment. The speaker asks a young woman to borrow a hemp heckle (a flax-processing tool) in return for a comb, then proposes going to dance the "Bob o'Dumblane." The repeated, rhythmic refrain evokes a sing-song, call-and-response performance suited to oral tradition and social gatherings. The poem foregrounds everyday work-objects, flirtation, and the communal pleasure of dance, offering a brief, convivial glimpse of late-18th-century Scottish folk culture.