syne0 anither, Tam tint0 his reason a' thegither, And roars out, 'Weel done, Cutty-sark!'
190 And in an instant all was dark: And scarcely had he Maggie rallied, When out the hellish legion sallied.
As bees bizz out wi' angry fyke,? When plundering herds0 assail their byke;?
195 As open0 pussie's mortal foes, When, pop! she starts before their nose; As eager runs the market- crowd, When 'Catch the thief!' resounds aloud; So Maggie runs the witches follow,
200 Wi' mony an eldritch0 skreech and hollow.
Ah, Tam! Ah, Tam! thou'll get thy fairin'!0 In hell they'll roast thee like a herrin! In vain thy Kate awaits thy comin! Kate soon will be a woefu' woman!
205 Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg, And win the key-stane of the brig;6 There at them thou thy tail may toss, A running stream they dare na cross.
A TALE / 143
finely strapping corps
barley
short / yarn
proud
bought
lower
disreputable woman
eyes
jerked then lost
fuss herdsmen / hive begin to bark
unearthly
deserts
5. Fidgeted with pleasure. the benighted traveler, that when he falls in with 6. It is a well known fact that witches, or any evil bogles, whatever danger may be in his going for- spirits, have no power to follow a poor wight any ward, there is much more hazard in turning back farther than the middle of the next running [Burns's note]. 'Brig': bridge. stream.?It may be proper likewise to mention to
.
14 4 / ROBER T BURN S 210But ere the key-stane she could make, The fient a tail she had to shake! For Nannie, far before the rest, Hard upon noble Maggie prest, And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle;0 But little wist she Maggie's mettle? 215 Ae spring brought off her master hale,? But left behind her ain gray tail: The carlin claught? her by the rump, And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.7 intent whole clutched Now, wha this tale o' truth shall read, 220 Ilk man and mother's son, take heed: Whene'er to drink you are inclin'd, Or cutty-sarks run in your mind, Think, ye may buy the joys o'er dear, Remember Tam o' Shanter's mare. 1790 1791
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation
Fareweel to a' our Scotish fame, Fareweel our ancient glory; Fareweel even to the Scotish name, Sae fam'd in martial story! 5 Now Sark rins? o'er the Solway sands, runs And Tweed rins to the ocean, To mark whare England's province stands,. Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
What force or guile could not subdue, 10 Thro' many warlike ages, Is wrought now by a coward few, For hireling traitors' wages. The English steel we could disdain, Secure in valor's station; 15 But English gold has been our bane, Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
O would, or I had seen the day That treason thus could sell us, My auld grey head had lien in clay, 20 Wi' BRUCE and loyal WALLACE!' But pith and power,0 till my last hour, with all my strength I'll mak this declaration; We're bought and sold for English gold, Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
1792
7. I.e., she had no tail left at all. 1. For Bruce and Wallace, see the notes to the next poem.
.
A RED, RED ROSE / 145
Robert Bruce's March to Bannockburn1
[SCOTS, WHA HAE]
Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace2 bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led, Welcome to your gory bed,?
Or to victorie.?
5 Now's the day, and now's the hour; See the front o' battle lour; See approach proud Edward's power,
Chains and Slaverie.?
Wha will be a traitor-knave? 10 Wha can fill a coward's grave? Wha sae base as be a Slave? ?Let him turn and flie:?
Wha for Scotland's king and law, Freedom's sword will strongly draw, 15 Free-man stand, or Free-man fa', Let him follow me.?
By Oppression's woes and pains! By your Sons in servile chains! We will drain our dearest veins,
