The Canongate Burns. Robert Burns
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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 bleez’d owre her, an’ she owre him, over
As they wad never mair part; would, more
70 Till fuff! he started up the lum, chimney
And Jean had e’en a sair heart sore
To see’t that night.
Poor Willie, wi’ his bow-kail runt, cabbage stalk
Was burnt wi’ primsie Mallie; prudish
75 An’ Mary, nae doubt, took the drunt, no, huff
To be compar’d to Willie:
Mall’s nit lap out, wi’ pridefu’ fling, nut leaped
An’ her ain fit, it burnt it; own foot
While Willie lap, an’ swoor by jing, jumped, swore with conviction
80 ’Twas just the way he wanted
To be that night.
Nell had the Fause-house in her min’, corn drying structure
She pits hersel an’ Rob in; puts
In loving bleeze they sweetly join, heat/flame
85 Till white in ase they’re sobbin: ashes
Nell’s heart was dancin at the view;
She whisper’d Rob to leuk for’t: tasted
Rob, stownlins, prie’d her bonie mou, stealthily, kissed, mouth
Fu’ cozie in the neuk for’t, snugly, corner
90 Unseen that night.
But Merran sat behint their backs, Marion
Her thoughts on Andrew Bell;
She lea’es them gashan at their cracks, gabbing, conversation
An’ slips out by hersel:
95 She thro’ the yard the nearest taks,
An’ to the kiln she goes then,
An’ darklins grapet for the bauks, darkness, groped, cross-beam
And in the blue-clue8 throws them, yarn
Right fear’t that night.
100 An’ ay she win’t, an’ ay she swat, winded, sweated
I wat she made nae jaukin; bet, no delay
Till something held within the pat, pot/kiln
Guid Lord! but she was quakin! shaking
But whether ’twas the Deil himsel,
105 Or whether ’twas a bauk-en’, end of a beam
Or whether it was Andrew Bell,
She did na wait on talkin not
To spier that night. inquire/find out
Wee Jenny to her Graunie says, grandmother
110 ‘Will ye go wi’ me, Graunie?
I’ll eat the apple9 at the glass,
I gat frae uncle Johnie:’ got, from
She fuff’t her pipe wi’ sic a lunt, puffed, such, smoke
In wrath she was sae vap’rin, so, agitated
115 She notic’t na an aizle brunt not, cinder, burnt
Her braw, new, worset apron good, worsted/twisted yarn
Out thro’ that night.
‘Ye little Skelpie-limmer’s-face! hussy
I daur ye try sic sportin, dare, such
120 As seek the Foul Thief onie place, any
For him to spae your fortune: foretell
Nae doubt but ye may get a sight! no
Great cause ye hae to fear it; have
For monie a ane has gotten a fright, many, one
125 An’ liv’d an’ died deleeret, delerious/insane
On sic a night. such
‘Ae Hairst