And at his elbow, Souter Johnie, 17 45 50 Care, mad to see a man sae happy, E'en drown'd himsel amang the nappy: As bees flee hame wi' lades o' treasure, 55 The minutes wing'd their way wi' pleasure; Kings may be blest, but Tam was glorious, O'er a' the ills o' life victorious! Whiles holding fast his guid blue bonnet, Kirk-Alloway was drawing nigh, 4 85 95 By this time he was cross the ford, Whare in the snaw the chapman smoor'd; 90 And past the birks and meikle stane, Whare drucken Charlie brak's neck-bane; And thro' the whins,10 and by the cairn," Whare hunters fand the murder'd bairn; 12 And near the thorn, aboon 13 the well, Whare Mungo's mither hang'd 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; When, glimmering thro' the groaning trees, Kirk-Alloway seemed in a bleeze: " Thro' ilka bore 15 the beams were glancing, And loud resounded mirth and dancing. 100 clattered 2 puddle goblins owls smothered birches 7 big 8 drunken bone 10 gorse 11 pile of stones 12 child 13 above 14 blaze 16 twopenny ale 17 whiskey 18 ale per 21 marvellous 15 every crevice 19 foamed cop |