Page:Tam O'Shanter(NLS104186397).pdf/4

4 Evanishing amid the storm— Nae man can tether time or tide; The hour approaches Tam maun ride; That hour, o' night's bļack arch the keyrstan That dreary hour he mounts his beast in And sic a night he taks the road in, As ne'er poor singer was abroad in! The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last, The rattlin showrs rose on the blast; The speedy gleams the darkness swallow'd; Loud, deep and lang the thunder bellow'd! That night a child might understand The deil had, bis'ness on his hand. Weel mounted on his grey mare Meg, A better never lifted leg, Tam skelpit on thro' dub and mire, Despisin wind, and rain, and fire; Whiyles haddin fast hiş guid blue bonnet, Whyles croonin owre some aold Scots sonnet Whyles glow'rin round wi' prudent care Lest bogles catch him unaware's Kirk-Alloway was drawin nigh, Whar glaists and howlets nightly cry By this time he was cross'd the ford, Whar in the snaw the chapman smoor'd; And past the birks and muckle stane, Whar drunken Charlie brak's neck-bane; And thro the whins, and by the cairn, Whar hunters fand the murder'd bairn; And near the thorn, aboon the well, Whar Mungo's mother hang'd hersel— Before him loon pours a' his floods, The doublin storm spars through the woods; The lightnings flash frae pole to pole;