to my heart,
One native charm, than all the gloss of art.
GOLDSMITH.
‘The following poem will, by many readers, be well enough understood; but for the sake of those unaquainted with the manners and traditions of the country [region] 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 of 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 honour the author with a perusal, to see the remains of it, among the more unenlightened in our own.’
To this headnote, Burns defines Halloween thus: ‘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.’
R.B.
Upon that night, when Fairies light
On Cassilis Downans1 dance,
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze, over, fields
On sprightly coursers prance;
5 Or for Colean the rout is taen, Culzean, taken
Beneath the moon’s pale beams;
There, up the Cove2, to stray and rove,
Amang the rocks and streams
To sport that night:
10 Amang the bonie winding banks,
Where Doon rins, wimplin, clear; runs, winding
Where BRUCE3 ance ruled the martial ranks, once
An’ shook his Carrick spear;
Some merry, friendly, country-folks
15 Together did convene,
To burn their nits, an’ pou their stocks, nuts, pull
An’ haud their Halloween hold
Fu’ blythe that night.
The lassies feat, an’ cleanly neat, trim
20 Mair braw than when they’re fine; more fair
Their faces blythe fu’ sweetly kythe show
Hearts leal, an’ warm, an’ kin’: loyal, kind
The lads sae trig, wi’ wooer-babs so spruce, love-knots
Weel-knotted on their garten; well, garters
25 Some unco blate, an’ some wi’ gabs very shy, chatting up
Gar lasses’ hearts gang startin make, go beating
Whyles fast at night. sometimes
Then, first an’ foremost, thro’ the kail, cabbage-plot
Their stocks4 maun a’ be sought ance; shall, once
30 They steek their een, an’ grape an’ wale close, eyes, grope, choose
For muckle anes, an’ straught anes. big ones, straight ones
Poor hav’rel Will fell aff the drift, half-witted, lost the way
An’ wandered thro’ the Bow-kail, cabbage
An’ pow’t, for want o’ better shift, pulled
35 A runt, was like a sow-tail, small cabbage stalk
Sae bow’t that night. so bent
Then, straught or crooked, yird or nane, straight, dirt, none
They roar an’ cry a’ throu’ther; pell-mell
The vera wee-things, toddlin, rin very children, run
40 Wi’ stocks out-owre their shouther: -over, shoulder
An’ gif the custock’s sweet or sour, if, pith
Wi’ joctelegs they taste them; knives
Syne coziely, aboon the door, then, comfortably, above
Wi’ cannie care, they’ve plac’d them gentle
45 To lye that night. lie
The lasses staw frae ’mang them a’, stole, from, among them all
To pou their stalks o’ corn;5 pull
But Rab slips out, an’ jinks about, dodges
Behint the muckle thorn: large
50 He grippet Nelly hard an’ fast; gripped
Loud skirl’d a’ the lasses; screamed
But her tap-pickle maist was lost, top amount mostly
Whan kiutlan in the Fause-house6 when cuddling, corn drier
Wi’ him that night.
55 The auld Guidwife’s weel-hoordet nits7 old, good-, well-hoarded nuts
Are round an’ round divided,
An’ monie lads’ an’ lasses’ fates many
Are there that night decided:
Some kindle couthie, side by side, warm comfortably
60 An’ burn thegither trimly; together
Some start awa wi’ saucy pride, away
An’ jump out-owre the chimlie -over, fireplace
Fu’ high that night.
Jean slips in twa, wi’ tentie e’e; two, watchful eye
65 Wha ’twas, she wadna tell; who, would not
But this is Jock, an’ this is me,
She says in to hersel:
He
