O thou! whatever title suit thee, Auld Hornie, Satan, Mick, or Clootie, [Hoofie] Wha in yon cavern grim an' sootie, Clos'd under hatches, Spairges about the brunstane cootie, [Splashes, dish] To scaud poor wretches! [scald]
Hear me, auld Hangie, for a wee, [Hangman] An' let poor damnèd bodies be; I'm sure sma' pleasure it can gie, Ev'n to a deil, To skelp an' scaud poor dogs like me, [spank, scald] An' hear us squeal!
Great is thy pow'r, an' great thy fame; Far kenn'd an' noted is thy name; An', tho' yon lowin' heugh's thy hame, [flaming pit] Thou travels far; An' faith! thou's neither lag nor lame, [backward] Nor blate nor scaur. [shy, afraid]
Whyles rangin' like a roarin' lion For prey, a' holes an' corners tryin'; Whyles on the strong-wing'd tempest flyin', Tirlin' the kirks; [Stripping] Whyles, in the human bosom pryin', Unseen thou lurks.
I've heard my reverend grannie say, In lanely glens ye like to stray; Or, where auld ruin'd castles gray Nod to the moon, Ye fright the nightly wand'rer's way, Wi' eldritch croon. [weird]
When twilight did my grannie summon To say her pray'rs, douce, honest woman! [sedate] Aft yont the dyke she's heard you bummin', [beyond] Wi' eerie drone; Or, rustlin', thro' the boortrees comin', [elders] Wi' heavy groan.
Ae dreary windy winter night The stars shot down wi' sklentin' light, [squinting] Wi' you mysel I gat a fright Ayont the lough; [pond] Ye like a rash-buss stood in sight [clump of rushes] Wi' waving sough. [moan]
The cudgel in my nieve did shake, [fist] Each bristled hair stood like a stake, When wi' an eldritch stoor 'quaick, quaick,' [weird, harsh] Amang the springs, Awa ye squatter'd like a drake On whistlin' wings.
Let warlocks grim an' wither'd hags Tell how wi' you on ragweed nags [ragwort] They skim the muirs an' dizzy crags Wi' wicked speed; And in kirk-yards renew their leagues Owre howkit dead. [disturbed]
Thence country wives, wi' toil an' pain, May plunge an' plunge the kirn in vain; [churn] For oh! the yellow treasure's taen [i.e., the butter] By witchin' skill; An' dawtit, twal-pint Hawkie's gane [petted, twelve-pint cow] As yell's the bill. [dry, bull]
Thence mystic knots mak great abuse On young guidmen, fond, keen, an' crouse; [husbands, cocksure] When the best wark-lume i' the house, [tool] By cantrip wit, [magic] Is instant made no worth a louse, Just at the bit. [crisis]