4
Evanishing amid the storm—
Nae man can tether time or tide;
The hour approaches Tam maun ride;
That hour, o' night's bļack arch the keyrstan⟨e⟩
That dreary hour he mounts his beast in
And sic a night he taks the road in,
As ne'er poor singer was abroad in!
The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last,
The rattlin showrs rose on the blast;
The speedy gleams the darkness swallow'd;
Loud, deep and lang the thunder bellow'd!
That night a child might understand
The deil had, bis'ness on his hand.
Weel mounted on his grey mare Meg,
A better never lifted leg,
Tam skelpit on thro' dub and mire,
Despisin wind, and rain, and fire;
Whiyles haddin fast hiş guid blue bonnet,
Whyles croonin owre some aold Scots sonnet
Whyles glow'rin round wi' prudent care
Lest bogles catch him unaware's
Kirk-Alloway was drawin nigh,
Whar glaists and howlets nightly cry
By this time he was cross'd the ford,
Whar in the snaw the chapman smoor'd;
And past the birks and muckle stane,
Whar drunken Charlie brak's neck-bane;
And thro the whins, and by the cairn,
Whar hunters fand the murder'd bairn;
And near the thorn, aboon the well,
Whar Mungo's mother hang'd hersel—
Before him loon pours a' his floods,
The doublin storm spars through the woods;
The lightnings flash frae pole to pole;
