O Tam! had'st thou but been sae wise Or catched wi' warlocks in the mirk, Ah, gentle dames! it gars10 me greet,11 To think how monie counsels sweet, How monie lengthened sage advices, The husband frae the wife despises! 30 35 4I But to our tale:-Ae market night, Tam had got planted unco right, Fast by an ingle, 12 bleezing finely, Wi' reaming swats13 that drank divinely; And at his elbow, Souter Johnie, His ancient, trusty, drouthy cronie: Tam lo'ed him like a very brither;14 They had been fou for weeks thegither. The night drave on wi' sangs and clatter; And ay the ale was growing better: The landlady and Tam grew gracious Wi' secret favors, sweet and precious: The souter15 tauld his queerest stories; The landlord's laugh was ready chorus: 50 The storm without might rair and rustle, Tam did na mind the storm a whistle. 46 20 ΟΙ .23 .26 By this time he was cross the ford, Whare in the snaw the chapman smoored;2 And past the birks21 and meikle22 stane, Whare drunken Charlie brak's neck-bane;? And thro' the whins, 24 and by the cairn,25 Whare hunters fand the murdered bairn;2 And near the thorn, aboon27 the well, 95 Whare Mungo's mither hanged 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; 100 When, glimmering thro' the groaning trees Kirk-Alloway seemed in a bleeze:28 Thro' ilka bore 29 the beams were glancing, And loud resounded mirth and dancing. 17 mud. 18 bogies. 19 owls. 20 smothered. 22 big. 23 neck. "gorse. 25 rock-pile. 27 above. blaze. 16 hurried. 21 birches. 26 child. 29 opening. Till roof and rafters a' did dirl.1 And by some devilish cantraip14 sleight 16 130 A murderer's banes in gibbet airns;15 140 165 170 There was ae winsome wench and wawlie,33 Till first ae caper, syne44 anither, 18 clutched. 22 threw. 20 shirt. 30 these. 34 company. 38 proud. 42 fidgeted. 190 |