 | Poems and Songs |  |
Tam Troker.
When Tam Troker was wee,
If he got a bawbee,
He aye had some place that he kent o' to hide it;
And, as soon's he had ane,
Some bit plan would begin,
To get just anither to slip in beside it.
If he got a bawbee,
He aye had some place that he kent o' to hide it;
And, as soon's he had ane,
Some bit plan would begin,
To get just anither to slip in beside it.
He was aye in the street,
Wi' bare head and bare feet,
And nane e'er could say that his garments were garish;
He would rin in his sark
To secure an hour's wark,
And a horse-hauder like him was ne'er in the parish.
Wi' bare head and bare feet,
And nane e'er could say that his garments were garish;
He would rin in his sark
To secure an hour's wark,
And a horse-hauder like him was ne'er in the parish.
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When he gaed to the schule,
He was ne'er sic a fule
As to fancy a “reddie” a profitless plaything;
Aye his cry was “plunk fair,”
But he plunkit wi' care,
And he ne'er geid a bool to a neebour for naething.
He was ne'er sic a fule
As to fancy a “reddie” a profitless plaything;
Aye his cry was “plunk fair,”
But he plunkit wi' care,
And he ne'er geid a bool to a neebour for naething.
And there ne'er was a preen
Could escape Tammie's een,
As it lay on the pavement on market or fair day;
For a preen, every day
He had heard the folk say,
Would sell for a groat o' guid sillar at Ne'arday.
Could escape Tammie's een,
As it lay on the pavement on market or fair day;
For a preen, every day
He had heard the folk say,
Would sell for a groat o' guid sillar at Ne'arday.
And when bairns o' his size
Showed some grand “glessie” prize—
Though sair he was tempit and bother'd aboot it—
He micht hae a wet e'e,
But he kept his bawbee—
He likit the “glessie,” but managed withoot it.
Showed some grand “glessie” prize—
Though sair he was tempit and bother'd aboot it—
He micht hae a wet e'e,
But he kept his bawbee—
He likit the “glessie,” but managed withoot it.
When the candie-man cam,
He made aye fun o' Tam,
And swore sic a customer never was yokit;
But he ne'er gaed awa
Till a farthing or twa,
For banes or for rags, wi' Tam Troker he trokit.
He made aye fun o' Tam,
And swore sic a customer never was yokit;
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Till a farthing or twa,
For banes or for rags, wi' Tam Troker he trokit.
But ye maunna suppose
Tam was e'er ane o' those
That will “tak” if the happer says “Tak it, man, tak it;”
He lo'ed sillar, 'tis true,
But, to gie him his due,
He could want it until he could honestly mak it.
Tam was e'er ane o' those
That will “tak” if the happer says “Tak it, man, tak it;”
He lo'ed sillar, 'tis true,
But, to gie him his due,
He could want it until he could honestly mak it.
How he hained, how he thrave,
How he pushed by the lave,
How fast in his teen-time his pennies were bankit,
Is a thing o' the past,
But his memory will last,
And for his example he ocht to be thankit
How he pushed by the lave,
How fast in his teen-time his pennies were bankit,
Is a thing o' the past,
But his memory will last,
And for his example he ocht to be thankit
And though it is true
That the lot 'tis o' few
To rise and to soar as Tam Troker ascended—
Aye wi' een lookin' up,
Drainin' Fortune's full cup,
In hainin' the maist o' our ways micht be mended.
That the lot 'tis o' few
To rise and to soar as Tam Troker ascended—
Aye wi' een lookin' up,
Drainin' Fortune's full cup,
In hainin' the maist o' our ways micht be mended.
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“Though I canna leeve free
O' my neebors,” said he—
“Crusoes with their fine-fruited isles are but scanty—
Yet, wi' naebody's plack,
I'll put claes on my back;
And wi' naebodys flour I'll put scones in my pantry.”
O' my neebors,” said he—
“Crusoes with their fine-fruited isles are but scanty—
Yet, wi' naebody's plack,
I'll put claes on my back;
And wi' naebodys flour I'll put scones in my pantry.”
“If guid wine makes me fain,
I'll hae wine o' my ain;
If guid meal makes me yaul, I will buy't frae the miller;
And, to buy my wean's shoon,
When the auld anes are done,
I am safest to gang wi' a neevefu' o' siller.”
I'll hae wine o' my ain;
If guid meal makes me yaul, I will buy't frae the miller;
And, to buy my wean's shoon,
When the auld anes are done,
I am safest to gang wi' a neevefu' o' siller.”
Are they here that ken Tam?—
Weel, they ken he's nae sham,
But a steive sturdy carl wi' a place in creation;
And 'tis men sic as he,
Wha can hain when they're wee,
That keep healthy the credit and nerve o' a nation.
Weel, they ken he's nae sham,
But a steive sturdy carl wi' a place in creation;
And 'tis men sic as he,
Wha can hain when they're wee,
That keep healthy the credit and nerve o' a nation.
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