Whom his ain son o' life bereft,
The grey hairs yet stack to the heft:
Wi' mair o' horrible and awfu',
Which even to name wad be unlawfu'.

As Tammie glowered, amazed and curious,
The mirth and fun grew fast and furious:
The piper loud and louder blew,
The dancers quick and quicker flew;
They reeled, they set, they crossed, they cleekit,
Till ilka carlin swat and reekit,
And coost her duddies to the wark, {151a}
And linket at it in her sark. {151h} {151b}

Now Tam! O Tam! had they been queans,
A' plump and strappin' in their teens,
Their sarks, instead o' creeshie flannen, {151c}
Been snaw-white seventeen hunder linnen!
Thir breeks o' mine, my only pair,
That ance were plush, o' guid blue hair,
I wad hae gien them aff my hurdies,
For ae blink o' the bonny burdies!

But withered beldams, auld and droll,
Rigwoodie hags, wad spean a foal, {151d} {151j}
Lowpin' and flingin' on a cummock, {151e}
I wonder didna turn thy stomach.

But Tam kenned what was what fu' brawlie,
"There was ae winsome wench and walie," {151i}