The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd Centenary Edition. With a Memoir of the Author, by the Rev. Thomas Thomson ... Poems and Life. With Many Illustrative Engravings [by James Hogg] |
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 | The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd |  |
Sandy Tod.
A SCOTTISH PASTORAL.
Who has learned in love to languish?
Who has felt affliction's rod?
They will mourn the melting anguish,
And the loss o' Sandy Tod.
Who has felt affliction's rod?
They will mourn the melting anguish,
And the loss o' Sandy Tod.
96
Sandy was a lad o' vigour,
Lithe an' tight o' lith an' limb:
For a stout an' manly figure,
Few could ding or equal him.
Lithe an' tight o' lith an' limb:
For a stout an' manly figure,
Few could ding or equal him.
In a cottage poor and nameless,
By a little bouzy linn,
Sandy led a life right blameless,
Far frae ony strife or din.
By a little bouzy linn,
Sandy led a life right blameless,
Far frae ony strife or din.
Annan's fertile dale beyon' him
Spread her fields an' meadows green;
Hoary Hartfell towered aboon him,
Smiling to the sun—gude-e'en.
Spread her fields an' meadows green;
Hoary Hartfell towered aboon him,
Smiling to the sun—gude-e'en.
Few his wants, his wishes fewer;
Save his flocks, nae care had he;
Never heart than his was truer,
Tender to the last degree.
Save his flocks, nae care had he;
Never heart than his was truer,
Tender to the last degree.
He was learned, and every tittle
That he read, believed it true;
Saving chapters cross an' kittle,
He could read his Bible through.
That he read, believed it true;
Saving chapters cross an' kittle,
He could read his Bible through.
Aft he read the acts of Joseph,
How wi' a' his friends he met;
Aye the hair his noddle rose off,
Aye his cheeks wi' tears were wet.
How wi' a' his friends he met;
Aye the hair his noddle rose off,
Aye his cheeks wi' tears were wet.
Seven bonnie buskit simmers
O'er the Solway Frith had fled,
Sin' a flock o'ewes an' gimmers,
Out amang the hills he fed.
O'er the Solway Frith had fled,
Sin' a flock o'ewes an' gimmers,
Out amang the hills he fed.
Some might brag o' knowledge deeper,
But nae herd was loed sae weel;
Sandy's hirsel proved their keeper
Was a cannie carefu' chiel.
But nae herd was loed sae weel;
Sandy's hirsel proved their keeper
Was a cannie carefu' chiel.
Aye, when ony tentless lammie
Wi' its neibours chanced to go,
Sandy kend the careless mammy,
Whether she cried mae or no.
Wi' its neibours chanced to go,
Sandy kend the careless mammy,
Whether she cried mae or no.
Warldly wealth an' grandeur scorning,
Weel he liked his little bield;
Ilka e'ening, ilka morning,
Sandy to his Maker kneeled.
Weel he liked his little bield;
Ilka e'ening, ilka morning,
Sandy to his Maker kneeled.
You wha bouze the wine sae nappy,
An' are fanned wi' loud applause,
Can ye trow the lad was happy?
Really, 'tis believed, he was.
An' are fanned wi' loud applause,
Can ye trow the lad was happy?
Really, 'tis believed, he was.
In the day sae dark an' showery,
I hae seen the bonnie bow,
When arrayed in all its glory,
Vanish on the mountain's brow.
I hae seen the bonnie bow,
When arrayed in all its glory,
Vanish on the mountain's brow.
I hae seen the rose of Yarrow,
While it bloomed upon the spray,
Blushing by its flaunting marrow,
Quickly fade, an' fade for aye.
While it bloomed upon the spray,
Blushing by its flaunting marrow,
Quickly fade, an' fade for aye.
Fading as the forest roses,
Transient as the radiant bow,
Fleeting as the shower that follows,
Is dame Happiness, below.
Transient as the radiant bow,
Fleeting as the shower that follows,
Is dame Happiness, below.
Unadmired she'll hover near ye,
In the rural sport she'll play;
Woo her—she'll at distance hear ye,
Press her—she is gane for aye.
In the rural sport she'll play;
Woo her—she'll at distance hear ye,
Press her—she is gane for aye.
She had Sandy aye attendit;
Seemed obedient to his nod;
Now his happy hours are endit,—
Lack-a-day for Sandy Tod!
Seemed obedient to his nod;
Now his happy hours are endit,—
Lack-a-day for Sandy Tod!
I' the kirk ae Sunday sittin',
Where to be he seldom failed,
Sandy's tender heart was smitten
Wi' a wound that never healed.
Where to be he seldom failed,
Sandy's tender heart was smitten
Wi' a wound that never healed.
Sally, dressed in hat an' feather,
Worshipped in a neibrin' pew;
Sandy sat—he kendna whether:
Sandy felt—he wistna how.
Worshipped in a neibrin' pew;
Sandy sat—he kendna whether:
Sandy felt—he wistna how.
Though the parson charmed the audience,
An' drew tears frae mony een,
Sandy heard a noise, like baudrons
Murring i' the bed at e'en!
An' drew tears frae mony een,
Sandy heard a noise, like baudrons
Murring i' the bed at e'en!
Aince or twice his sin alarmed him,—
Down he looked an' breathed a prayer;
Sally had o' mind disarmed him,
Heart an' soul an' a' was there!
Down he looked an' breathed a prayer;
Sally had o' mind disarmed him,
Heart an' soul an' a' was there!
Luckily her een were from him;
Aye they beamed anither road;
Aince a smiling glance set on him—
“Mercy, Lord!” quo' Sandy Tod.
Aye they beamed anither road;
Aince a smiling glance set on him—
“Mercy, Lord!” quo' Sandy Tod.
A' that night he lay an' turned him,
Fastit a' the following day,
Till the eastern lamps were burnin',
An' ca'd up the gloaming gray.
Fastit a' the following day,
Till the eastern lamps were burnin',
An' ca'd up the gloaming gray.
Res'lute made by desperation,
Down the glen in haste he ran;
Soon he reached her habitation,
A forfoughten love-sick man.
Down the glen in haste he ran;
Soon he reached her habitation,
A forfoughten love-sick man.
I wad sing the happy meeting,
Were it new or strange to thee;
Weel ye ken, 'tis but repeating
What has passed 'tween ane an' me.
Were it new or strange to thee;
Weel ye ken, 'tis but repeating
What has passed 'tween ane an' me.
Ae white hand around me pressed hard,
Oft my restless heart has felt;
But when hers on Sandy rested,
His fond heart was like to melt.
Oft my restless heart has felt;
But when hers on Sandy rested,
His fond heart was like to melt.
Sandy's breast wi' love was luntin',
Modest Sally speechless lay,
Orion's sceptre bored the mountain,
Loud the cock proclaimed the day.
Modest Sally speechless lay,
Orion's sceptre bored the mountain,
Loud the cock proclaimed the day.
97
Sandy rase—his bonnet daddit—
Begged a kiss—gat nine or ten;
Then the hay, sae rowed an' saddit,
Towzled up that nane might ken.
Begged a kiss—gat nine or ten;
Then the hay, sae rowed an' saddit,
Towzled up that nane might ken.
You hae seen, on April morning,
Light o' heart the playful lamb,
Skipping, dancing, bondage scorning,
Wander heedless o' its dam.
Light o' heart the playful lamb,
Skipping, dancing, bondage scorning,
Wander heedless o' its dam.
Sometimes gaun, an' sometimes rinning,
Sandy to his mountains wan;
Roun' about his flocks gaed singing;
Never was a blyther man.
Sandy to his mountains wan;
Roun' about his flocks gaed singing;
Never was a blyther man.
Never did his native nation,
Sun or sky, wear sic a hue
In his een the hale creation
Wore a face entirely new.
Sun or sky, wear sic a hue
In his een the hale creation
Wore a face entirely new.
Weel he loed his faithfu' Ruffler,
Weel the bird sang on the tree;
Meanest creatures doomed to suffer,
Brought the tear into his ee.
Weel the bird sang on the tree;
Meanest creatures doomed to suffer,
Brought the tear into his ee.
Sandy's heart was undesigning,
Soft and loving as the dove,
Scarcely could it bear refining
By the gentle fire o' love.
Soft and loving as the dove,
Scarcely could it bear refining
By the gentle fire o' love.
Sally's blossom soon was blighted
By untimely winter prest;
Sally had been wooed, an' slighted,
By a farmer in the West.
By untimely winter prest;
Sally had been wooed, an' slighted,
By a farmer in the West.
But a wound that baffled healing,
Came from that once cherished flame;
Fell disease, in silence stealing,
Pressed upon her lovely frame.
Came from that once cherished flame;
Fell disease, in silence stealing,
Pressed upon her lovely frame.
Her liquid eye so brightly meek,
Grew dim—the pulse of life beat low;
The rose still bloomed upon her cheek,
But ah! it wore a hectic glow.
Grew dim—the pulse of life beat low;
The rose still bloomed upon her cheek,
But ah! it wore a hectic glow.
Every day to Sandy dearer,
Mair bewitching, an' mair sweet;
Aince when he gaed west to see her
She lay in her winding-sheet.
Mair bewitching, an' mair sweet;
Aince when he gaed west to see her
She lay in her winding-sheet.
Yet the farmer still was cheery,
Reckless, careless o' his crime,
Though the maid that loed him dearly
He had slain in early prime.
Reckless, careless o' his crime,
Though the maid that loed him dearly
He had slain in early prime.
Sternies, blush, an' hide your faces!
Veil thee, moon, in sable hue!
Else thy locks, for human vices,
Soon will dreep wi' pity's dew!
Veil thee, moon, in sable hue!
Else thy locks, for human vices,
Soon will dreep wi' pity's dew!
Thou who rul'st the rolling thunder!
Thou who dart'st the flying flame!
Wilt thou vengeance aye keep under,
Due for injured love an' fame?
Thou who dart'st the flying flame!
Wilt thou vengeance aye keep under,
Due for injured love an' fame?
Cease, dear maid, thy kind bewailing,
In thy ee the tear-drops shine;
Cease to mourn thy sex's failing,
I may drap a tear for mine.
In thy ee the tear-drops shine;
Cease to mourn thy sex's failing,
I may drap a tear for mine.
Man the lord o' the creation,
Lightened wi' a ray divine,
Lost to feeling, truth, an' reason,
Lags the brutal tribes behind.
Lightened wi' a ray divine,
Lost to feeling, truth, an' reason,
Lags the brutal tribes behind.
You hae seen the harmless conie,
Following hame its mate to rest,
One ensnared, the frightened cronie,
Flee amazed wi' panting breast—
Following hame its mate to rest,
One ensnared, the frightened cronie,
Flee amazed wi' panting breast—
So amazed, an' dumb wi' horror,
Sandy fled he kendna where;
Never heart than his was sorer,
It was mair than he could bear.
Sandy fled he kendna where;
Never heart than his was sorer,
It was mair than he could bear.
Seven days on yonder mountain
He lay sobbing, late an' soon,
Till discovered by a fountain,
Railing at the dowie moon.
He lay sobbing, late an' soon,
Till discovered by a fountain,
Railing at the dowie moon.
Weeping a' the day he'd wander
Through yon dismal glen alane;
By the stream at night wad dander,
Raving o'er his Sally's name.
Through yon dismal glen alane;
By the stream at night wad dander,
Raving o'er his Sally's name.
Shunned an' pitied by the world,
Lang a humbling sight was he,
Till one frenzied moment hurled
Him to lang eternity.
Lang a humbling sight was he,
Till one frenzied moment hurled
Him to lang eternity.
Sitting on yon steep so rocky,
Fearless as the boding crow,—
No, dear maid, I winna shock thee,
Wi' the bloody scene below.
Fearless as the boding crow,—
No, dear maid, I winna shock thee,
Wi' the bloody scene below.
'Neath yon aik, decayed an' rotten',
Where the hardy woodbine twines,
Now in peace he lies forgotten;
Ower his head these simple lines:
Where the hardy woodbine twines,
Now in peace he lies forgotten;
Ower his head these simple lines:
“Lover, pause, while I implore thee,
Still to walk in Virtue's road;
An' to say, as ye walk o'er me,
Lack-a-day for Sandy Tod!”
Still to walk in Virtue's road;
An' to say, as ye walk o'er me,
Lack-a-day for Sandy Tod!”
| The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd | |