THE WITCH O' THE BRAE.

Evening Star, Issue 14626, 24 July 1911, Page 9

THE WITCH O' THE BRAE.

In compliance M-ith the request of a correspondent, "F.M." supplies us with the following lines, o. few of which he quoted in a letter to the .editor published a few days ago: A' the witches langsyne were hump-backit an' auid, Clad in thin tattered rags that scarce keptout the oauld ; A' were blear-ee'd an' toothless, an' wrinkled, an' din, Ilka ane bad an ugly grey beard on her chin. But fu' aweet is the smile, and like snaw the bit bosom, An' black aro the e'en, ave, black as the ske. An' as blooming the cheeks as the rose'a sweet blossom, 0' the bonny young witch that wons on the brae. They might travel at night in the shapeof a hare—They might elfshoct a quey—-they might "lame"a gray mare ; They might mak the guidewife ca* in vain at her kirn. Lose the loop o' her stocking or ravel her pirn ; Put the milk frae her cow, an' mae tricks an uncannic— As queer and as deil-liko as ony o' thae, . But o' a' the aald witches e'er kent by your grannie, I could wager there's nane like the witch on the brae. 'Twere a ehi to believe her oolleagucd wi' the deil, Yet- for a.' that she casts her enchantments as weel. An' although she ne'er rode on a stick to tiie moon. She has set tiie a-uld dominie twice aff the tune—. Aye, an' even Mes John ance or twice gae a stammer, But brought himself right wi' a hum and a hae ! An' a' body says it was just wi' eome glamor Frae" the two p.iwkie een o' the witch on the brae. Ko a lad i' the parish e'er gels a night'? .sleep, There's no ane males a tryst that he ever can keep; Ilka In.-s far an' near tears she'll die an auld maid, An' the piper and fiddler complain o' dull trade ; For although tailor Rab night an' day has been busy, Yet there's nao been a waddin there sex months and mae ; An' they say it's a' for that trig winsome hi/.zie, The bit. bonnie young witch that wons on the brae. ' .

I She ne'er passes the miJl but the dam aye lius out. For the miller forgets what he should be about, Neither mason nor slater can ane work a turn, An" whene'er the smith sees her some t-hoe's sure to burn, i An' the <=>crjeant ne'er speaks o' war, fame, ■ an' glory, i An' the'droll drowthv shoemaker, Sandy i MTlae. | Never sines a queer sang now, or tells a | queer story, I For they've a - 'felt the power o' the witch | on the. brae. | The thin student, puir chiel, ower the linn I lap yestreen. I An' wud sure line been drown't, but by i oruid luck was seen : ! An" lie says that the witch drove him thus to despair. For she took his last poem to paper her hair. Like the vest, 1 was put in a gay eerie ?with;-r. I had nae peace at hatne.. tin' ne'er kent where to gae ; But to end haitb my sang an' her witch- | naft thegither. | 1 will soon be the warlock that wons on ' the brae. ! [Taken from a scrap book, and printed ( v"i v earlv in the nineteenth century.— ■ F.M.] I •> =