XXV.

Whyles owre a linn the burnie plays,
As thro' the glen it wimpl't;
Whyles round a rocky scar it strays;
Whyles in a wiel it dimpl't;
Whyles glitter'd to the nightly rays,
Wi' bickering, dancing dazzle;
Whyles cookit underneath the braes,
Below the spreading hazle,

Unseen that night.

XXVI.

Amang the brachens, on the brae,

Between her an' the moon, The deil, or else an outler quey, Gat up an' gae a croon :

Poor Leezie's heart maist lap the hool;

Near lav'rock-height she jumpit,

But mist a fit, an' in the pool

Out-owre the lugs she plumpit,

Wi' a plunge that night.

XXVII.

lands meet,' and dip your left shirt sleeve.

Go to bed in

sight of a fire, and hang your wet sleeve before it to dry. Lie awake; and, some time near midnight, an apparition, having the exact figure of the grand object in question, will come and turn the sleeve, as if to dry the other side of it.

XXVII.

In order, on the clean hearth-stane,
The luggies three* are ranged,
And ev'ry time great care is ta'en,
To see them duly changed;
Auld uncle John, wha wedlock's joys
Sin' Mar's-year did desire,
Because he gat the toom-dish thrice,

He heav'd them on the fire

In wrath that night.

XXVIII.

Wi' merry sangs, an' friendly cracks,

I wat they did na weary;

An' unco tales, an' funnie jokes,
Their sports were cheap an' cheary;

'Till

* Take three dishes: put clean water in one, foul water in another, leave the third empty: blindfold a person, and lead him to the hearth where the dishes are ranged; (he or she) dips the left hand: if by chance in the clean water, the future husband or wife will come to the bar of matrimony a maid; if in the foul, a widow; if in the empty dish, it foretels, with equal certainty, no marriage at all. It is repeated three times, and every time the arrangement of the dishes is altered.

1

'Till butter'd so'ns,* wi' fragrant lunt,
Set a' their gabs a-steerin ;

Syne, wi' a social glass o' strunt,
They parted aff careerin

Fu' blythe that night.

THE

*Sowens, with butter instead of milk to them, is

always the Halloween Supper,

THE

.AULD FARMER'S

NEW-YEAR MORNING SALUTATION

TO HIS

AULD MARE MAGGIE,

On giving her the accustomed Ripp of Corn to hansel in the New Year.

A Guid New-year I wish thee, Maggie!
Hae, there's a ripp to thy auld baggie:
Tho' thou's howe-backit, now, an' knaggie,
I've seen the day,

Thou could hae gaen like onie staggie

Out-owre the lay.

Tho'

Tho' now thou's dowie, stiff, an' crazy, An' thy auld hide's as white's a daisy, I've seen thee dappl't, sleek, and glaizie, A bonny gray:

He should been tight that daur't so raize thee, Ance in a day.

Thou ance was i' the foremost rank,
A filly buirdly, steeve, an' swank,
An' set weel down a shapely shank,

As e'er tread yird;

An' could hae flown out-owre a stank,
Like ony bird.

It's now some nine an'-twenty year, Sin' thou was my guid father's meere ; He gied me thee, o' tocher clear,

An' fifty mark ;

Tho' it was sma', 'twas weel-won gear,
An' thou was stark.

When first I gaed to woo my Jenny, Ye then was trottin wi' your minnie: Tho' ye was trickie, slee, an' funnie,

Ye ne'er was donsie ;

But hamely, tawie, quiet, an' cannie,
An' unco sonsie.

That