---
title: "Scottish Poetry Selection - Naebody · Rampant Scotland"
description: "Scottish Poetry Selection - Naebody These days, the phrase \"It wisnae me\" is used not just by children accused of a misdemeanour but by politicians and company "
canonical: "https://rampant-scotland.pages.dev/poetry/blpoems_naebody2.htm"
last-updated: "2026-11-11"
date-basis: "git-content-change"
---

# Scottish Poetry Selection - Naebody · Rampant Scotland

Poetry

# Scottish Poetry Selection - Naebody

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Scottish Poetry Selection
 - Naebody

## These days, the phrase "It wisnae me" is used not just by children accused of a misdemeanour but by politicians and company executives. Charles Nicol, writing at the end of the 19th century recognised the same phenomenon.

## Naebody

I'd like to catch a man whase name
 Is Naebody;
 When ocht gangs wrang, wha gets the blame?
 This Naebody.
 A' in the hoose are aye secure;
 Oot o' the auld folks tak' the pooer;
 When asked wha kicked up din an' stour,
 'Twas Naebody.
 When ocht gangs wrang, baith ear' an' late,
 Puir Naebody
 Aye gets the blame; he has nae mate,
 Puir Naebody.
 'Twas juist the ither nicht, nae later,
 Aroon' the fire there wis some caper;
 I syne got up, asked, "What's the matter!"
 'Twas Naebody.
 But after that I tried to fin'
 This Naebody,
 An' sae I caused nae little din,
 Thro' Naebody.
 The hale lot o' them in the hoose
 Began to craw sae awfu' croose,
 And said I'd quicker catch a moose
 Than Naebody.
 He maun be some auld-farrant chiel',
 This Naebody,
 Or e'en as clever as the deil,
 This Naebody.
 But maybe I'll come roon' him yet;
 Then, by my certies, he will get
 What he'll no bargain for, I'll bet,
 That Naebody.
 Meaning of unusual words:
 ocht gangs wrang=anything goes wrong
 aye=always
 pooer=strength
 din an' stour=noise and dust
 syne=soon
 craw sae awfu' croose=boast so very cheerfully
 maun=must
 auld-farrant chiel'=old fashioned child
 by my certies=take my word for it

## Return to the Index of [Scottish Poetry Selection](https://rampant-scotland.pages.dev/poetry/blpoems_index.htm)

## Source

From Rampant Scotland, restored from the page as it stood on 15 December 2005. [Original page](https://web.archive.org/web/20051215093147/http://rampantscotland.com:80/poetry/blpoems_naebody2.htm).

Links to pages not yet restored here lead to the original page or elsewhere on the web; 1 of 1 links on this page are restored on this site.