BURNS.

HALLOWEEN.

The following poem will by many readers be well enough understood; but, for the sake of those who are unacquainted with the manners and traditions of the country where the scene is cast, notes are added, to give some account of the principal charms and spells of that night, so big with prophecy to the peasantry in the west of Scotland. The passion of prying into futurity makes a striking part of the history of human nature in its rude state in all ages and nations; and it may be some entertainment to a philosophic mind, if any such should honour the author with the perusal, to see the remains of it among the more unenlightened in our own. Halloween is thought to be a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands; particularly, those aerial people, the Fairies, are said on that night to hold a grand anniversary.

I.

UPON that night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans' dance,
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,
On sprightly coursers prance:
Or for Colean the route is ta'en

Beneath the moon's pale beams;
There up the cove,2 to stray an' rove,
Amang the rocks and streams

To sport that night.

II.

Amang the bonnie winding banks
Where Doon rins, wimplin, clear,
Where Bruce3 ance ruled the martial ranks,
An' shook the Carrick spear,

Some merry, friendly, countra folks
Together did convene,

To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,

An' haud their Halloween

Fu' blithe that night.

III.

The lasses feat, an' cleanly neat,
Mair braw than when they're fine;
Their faces blithe, fu' sweetly kythe,
Hearts leal, an' warm, an' kin':
The lads sae trig, wi' wooer-babs,
Weel knotted on their garten,
Some unco blate, an' some wi' gabs,
Gar lasses' hearts gang startin
Whiles fast at night.

IV.

Then first and foremost, through the kail,
Their stocks4 maun a' be sought ance;
They steek their een, an' graip an' wale,
For muckle anes and straught anes.
Poor hav'rel Will fell aff the drift,

An' wander'd through the bow-kail,
An' pow't, for want o' better shift,
A runt was like a sow-tail,

Sae bow't that night.

V.

Then, straught or crooked, yird or nane,
They roar an' cry a' throu’ther;
The vera wee things, todlin, rin

Wi' stocks out-owre their shouther;
An' gif the custoc 's sweet or sour,
Wi' joctelegs they taste them;
Syne coziely, aboon the door,

Wi' cannie care, they 've placed them
To lie that night.

VI.

The lasses staw frae 'mang them a'

To pou their stalks o' corn; 5
But Rab slips out, an' jinks about,
Behint the muckle thorn:
He grippet Nelly hard an' fast;
Loud skirled a' the lasses;
But her tap-pickle maist was lost,
When kiutlin in the fause-house 6
Wi' him that night.

VII.

The auld guidwife's weel-hoordet nits 7 Are round an' round divided,

An' monie lads' and lasses' fates

Are there that night decided:
Some kindle, couthie, side by side,
An' burn thegither trimly:
Some start awa wi' saucy pride,
And jump out-owre the chimlie

Fu' high that night.

II.

Amang the bonnie winding banks
Where Doon rins, wimplin, clear,
Where Bruce3 ance ruled the martial ranks,
An' shook the Carrick spear,

Some merry, friendly, countra folks
Together did convene,

To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,

An' haud their Halloween

Fu' blithe that night.

III.

The lasses feat, an' cleanly neat,
Mair braw than when they're fine;
Their faces blithe, fu' sweetly kythe,
Hearts leal, an' warm, an' kin':
The lads sae trig, wi' wooer-babs,
Weel knotted on their garten,
Some unco blate, an' some wi' gabs,
Gar lasses' hearts gang startin
Whiles fast at night.

IV.

Then first and foremost, through the kail,
Their stocks4 maun a' be sought ance;
They steek their een, an' graip an' wale,
For muckle anes and straught anes.
Poor hav'rel Will fell aff the drift,

An' wander'd through the bow-kail,
An' pow't, for want o' better shift,
A runt was like a sow-tail,

Sae bow't that night.