Page:Four funny tales.pdf/7



It was her beſt, and ſhe was vauntie.——— Ah! little kend thy reverend grannie, That ſark ſhe coſt for her wee Nannie, Wi' twa pund Scots, ('twas a' her riches), Wad ever grac'd a dance of Witches!

But here my muſe her wing maun cour; Sic flights are far beyond her pow'r; To ſing how Nannie lap and flang, (A ſouple jade ſhe was and ſtrang), And how Tam ſtood, like ane bewitch'd, And thought his very een enrich'd; Even Satan glowr'd, and fidg'd' fu fain, And hotch'd and blew wi' might and main: Till firſt ae caper, fyne anither, Tam tint his reaſon a' thegither, And roars out, “Weel done, cutty ſark!" And in an inſtant all was dark; And ſcarcely had he Maggie rallied, When out the helliſh legion fallied.

As bees bizz out wi' angry ſyke, When plundering herds aſſail their byke; As open 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, Wi' mony an eldritch ſkreetch an' hollow.

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 waefu' woman! Now, do thy ſpeedy utmoſt, Meg, And win the key ſtane of the brig;