But to our tale: Ae market night, Tam had got planted unco right, Fast by an ingle,12 bleezin finely, 31 35 Wi' reamin swats 13 that drank divinely; 40 And at his elbow, Souter Johnie, His ancient, trusty, drouthy crony: Tam lo'ed him like a vera brither; 14 They had been fou 15 for weeks thegither. The night drave on wi' sangs and clatter; 45 50 55 You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed; 60 That flit ere you can point their place; 2 1 pedlers thirsty ale marvellously gaps 6 nag 7 driven 12 fireside 13 bler 17 ale 115 I 20 Warlocks and witches in a dance; Nae cotillon brent-new frae France, But hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys, and reels Put life and mettle in their heels: A winnock bunker in the east, 6 There sat Auld Nick in shape o' beast; A towzie tyke, black, grim, and large, To gie them music was his charge; He screw'd the pipes and gart them skirl,10 Till roof and rafters a' did dirl." Coffins stood round like open presses, That shaw'd the dead in their last dresses; And by some devilish cantraip 12 sleight Each in its cauld hand held a light, 9 125 8 11 12 5 80 85 A murderer's banes in gibbet airns; 13 135 The grey hairs 140 9 95 By this time he was cross the ford, Whare in the snaw the chapman smoor'd; And past the birks and meikle 7 stane, 91 Whare drucken Charlie brak's neck-bane; And thro' the whins,10 and by the cairn," Whare hunters fand the murder'd bairn; And near the thorn, aboon 13 the well, Whare Mungo's mither hang'd hersel. Before him Doon pours all his floods; The doubling storm roars thro' the woods; The lightnings flash from pole to pole, Near and more near the thunders roll; When, glimmering thro' the groaning trees, Kirk-Alloway seemed in a bleeze: 14 Thro' ilka bore 15 the beams were glancing, And loud resounded mirth and dancing. yet stack to the heft; Wi' mair o' horrible and awfu', Which ev'n to name wad be unlawfu'. They reel'd, they set, they cross'd, they gorse every 19 7 marvellous 5 brandshaggy cur 9 made 8 seat 11 throb 12 tricksy 13 16 clutched 14 3 irons rope 17 old woman 18 sweated steamed 20 cast aside 21 clothes 22 work 23 che mise 24 girls 180 But here my Muse her wing maun cow'r, Till first ae caper, syne And scarcely had he Maggie rallied, When out the hellish legion sallied. 205 Ah, Tam! ah, Tam! thou'll get thy fairin !! In hell they'll roast thee like a herrin! In vain thy Kate awaits thy comin! Kate soon will be a woefu' woman! Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg, And win the key-stane of the brig:2 There at them thou thy tail may toss, A running stream they dare na cross. But ere the key-stane she could make, The fient 3 a tail she had to shake! For Nannie, far before the rest, Hard upon noble Maggie prest, And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle; 4 But little wist she Maggie's mettle 210 190 For sae I sat, and sae I sang, And wist na o' my fate. |