away and join the other beings in their revels.
"This is the nicht o' Hallowe'en
When a' the witchie may be seen ;
Some o' them black, some o' them green,
Some o' them like a turkey bean."
A witches' party was conducted in this way. The wretched women who had sold their souls to the Devil, left a stick in bed which by evil means was made to have their likeness, and, anointed with the fat of murdered babies flew off up the chimney on a broomstick with cats attendant. Burns tells the story of a company of witches pulling ragwort by the roadside, getting each astride her ragwort with the summons "Up horsie!" and flying away.
"The hag is astride
This night for a ride,
The devils and she together:
Through thick and through thin,
Now out and now in.
Though ne'er so foul be the weather.
