She turns the key wi' cannie thraw, [cautious twist]
An' owre the threshold ventures;
But first on Sawnie gies a ca', [call]
Syne bauldly in she enters; [Then]
A ratton rattl'd up the wa', [rat]
An' she cried 'Lord preserve her!'
An' ran thro' midden-hole an' a', [dunghill pool]
An' pray'd wi' zeal an' fervour
Fu' fast that night
They hoy't out Will, wi' sair advice; [urged]
They hecht him some fine braw ane; [promised][measured with
It chanced the stack he faddom'd thrice[16] outstretched arms]
Was timmer-propt for thrawin': [against leaning over]
He taks a swirlie auld moss-oak [gnarled]
For some black gruesome carlin; [beldam]
An' loot a winze, an' drew a stroke, [uttered a curse]
Till skin in blypes cam haurlin' [shreds, peeling]
Aff's nieves that night. [Off his fists]
A wanton widow Leezie was,
As cantie as a kittlin; [lively]
But och! that night, amang the shaws, [woods]
She gat a fearfu' settlin'!
She thro' the whins, an' by the cairn, [gorse, stone heap]
An' owre the hill gaed scrievin'; [careering]
Where three laird's lands met at a burn,[17]
To dip her left sark-sleeve in, [shirt-]
Was bent that night.
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