8
When Catch the thief! resounds aloud;
So Maggie rins, the witches follow,
Wi' mony an eldritch screech and hollow!
Ah, Tam! ah Tam thou'lly get the fairin,
In hell they'll roast time 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[1] o' the brig;
There at them thou thy tail may toss,
A rinnin stream they daren't cross.
But ere the key-stane she could make,
The fient a tail she had to shake!
For Nannie, far before the rest,
Hard upon noble Maggie prest,
And flew at Tam wi' furious ettele
But little wist she Maggie's mettle—
Ae spring brought after maste Kate,
But left behint her grey tail;
The carlin caught her by the rump
And left poor! Alagirie scarce a stump.
Now when this the o' truth shall read,
Ilk main and mother's son tak ded,
Whene'er to drink you are inclin'd,
Or cutty-sarks rin in your mind
Think ye mayy buy the joys owve dear,
Remember Tam Shanter's mare.
- ↑ It is a well known fact, that witches or any evil spirts have no power to follow a poor wight any farther than the middle of the next running stream.—It may be proper like wise to mention to the benighted traveller, that when he fall in with bogles, whatever danger may be this going, forward there is much more danger in turning back.
FINIS.
