And at his elbow, Souter Johnie,
His ancient, trusty, drouthy crony:
Tam lo'ed him like a vera brither; 14
They had been fou 15 for weeks thegither.
The night drave on wi' sangs and clatter;
And ay the ale was growing better:
The landlady and Tam grew gracious
Wi' secret favours, sweet, and precious:
The souter 16 tauld his queerest stories;
The landlord's laugh was ready chorus:
The storm without might rair and rustle,
Tam did na mind the storm a whistle.

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,
Whiles crooning o'er some auld Scots sonnet,
Whiles glowrin round wi' prudent cares,
Lest bogles' catch him unawares.

Kirk-Alloway was drawing nigh,
Whare ghaists and houlets nightly cry.

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