Its stature seem'd lang Scotch ells twa,
The queerest shape that e'er I saw,
For fient a wame it had ava: [devil a belly, at all]
And then its shanks,
They were as thin, as sharp an' sma'
As cheeks o' branks. [sides of an ox's bridle]
'Guid-een,' quo' I; 'Friend! hae ye been mawin, [Good-evening, mowing]
When ither folk are busy sawin?' [sowing]
It seem'd to mak a kind o' stan',
But naething spak;
At length says I, 'Friend, wh'are ye gaun? [going]
Will ye go back?'
It spak right howe: 'My name is Death, [hollow]
But be na fley'd.'--Quoth I, 'Guid faith, [frightened]
Ye're maybe come to stap my breath;
But tent me, billie: [heed, fellow]
I red ye weel, tak care o' skaith, [advise, harm]
See, there's a gully!' [big knife]
'Gudeman,' quo' he, 'put up your whittle, [knife]
I'm no design'd to try its mettle;
But if I did--I wad be kittle [ticklish]
To be mislear'd-- [if mischievous]
I wad na mind it, no that spittle
Out-owre my beard.
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