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 Good Man of Alloa.
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 | The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd |  |
The Good Man of Alloa.
Did you never hear of a queer auld man,
A very strange man was he,
Who dwelt on the bonnie banks of Forth,
In a town full dear to me?
A very strange man was he,
Who dwelt on the bonnie banks of Forth,
In a town full dear to me?
But if all be true, as I heard tell,
And as I shall tell to thee,
There was never such a thing befell
To a man in this countrye.
And as I shall tell to thee,
There was never such a thing befell
To a man in this countrye.
One day he sat on a lonely brae,
And sorely he made his moan,
For his youthful days had pass'd away,
And ronkilt age came on;
And sorely he made his moan,
For his youthful days had pass'd away,
And ronkilt age came on;
And he thought of the lightsome days of love,
And joyful happy souls,
Quhill the tears ran ower the auld man's cheeks,
And down on his button holes.
And joyful happy souls,
Quhill the tears ran ower the auld man's cheeks,
And down on his button holes.
“Ochone, ochone!” quod the poor auld man,
“Where shall I go lay mine head?
For I am weary of this world,
And I wish that I were dead;
“Where shall I go lay mine head?
For I am weary of this world,
And I wish that I were dead;
“That I were dead, and in my grave,
Where cares could not annoy,
And my soul safely in a land
Of riches and of joy.
Where cares could not annoy,
And my soul safely in a land
Of riches and of joy.
“Yet would I like ane cozy bed
To meet the stroke of death,
With a holy psalm sung ower mine head,
And swoofit with my last breath;
To meet the stroke of death,
With a holy psalm sung ower mine head,
And swoofit with my last breath;
“With a kind hand to close mine eyne,
And shed a tear for me;
But, alack, for poverty and eild,
Siccan joys I can never see!
And shed a tear for me;
But, alack, for poverty and eild,
Siccan joys I can never see!
“For, though I have toil'd these seventy years,
Wasting both blood and bone,
Striving for riches as for life,
Yet riches I have none.
Wasting both blood and bone,
Striving for riches as for life,
Yet riches I have none.
“For though I seized them by the tail,
With proud and joyful mind,
Yet did they take them wings and fly,
And leave me here behind;
With proud and joyful mind,
Yet did they take them wings and fly,
And leave me here behind;
“They left me here to rant and rair,
Mocking my raving tongue,
Though skraighing like ane gainder goose
That is 'reft of his young.
Mocking my raving tongue,
Though skraighing like ane gainder goose
That is 'reft of his young.
“Oh, woe is me! for all my toil,
And all my dear-bought gains,
Yet must I die a cauldrife death,
In poverty and pains!
And all my dear-bought gains,
Yet must I die a cauldrife death,
In poverty and pains!
309
“Oh! where are all my riches gone,
Where, or to what country?
There is gold enough into this world,
But none of it made for me.
Where, or to what country?
There is gold enough into this world,
But none of it made for me.
“Yet Providence was sore misled,
My riches to destroy,
Else many a poor and virtuous heart
Should have had cause of joy.”
My riches to destroy,
Else many a poor and virtuous heart
Should have had cause of joy.”
Then the poor auld man laid down his head,
And rairit for very grief,
And streikit out his limbs to die;
For he knew of no relief.
And rairit for very grief,
And streikit out his limbs to die;
For he knew of no relief.
But bye there came a lovely dame,
Upon a palfrey gray;
And she listen'd unto the auld man's tale,
And all he had to say,—
Upon a palfrey gray;
And she listen'd unto the auld man's tale,
And all he had to say,—
Of all his griefs, and sore regret,
For things that him befell,
And because he could not feed the poor,
Which thing he loved so well.
For things that him befell,
And because he could not feed the poor,
Which thing he loved so well.
“It is great pity,” quod the dame,
“That one so very kind,
So full of charity and love,
And of such virtuous mind,
“That one so very kind,
So full of charity and love,
And of such virtuous mind,
“Should lie and perish on a brae,
Of poverty and eild,
Without one single hand to prove
His solace and his shield.”
Of poverty and eild,
Without one single hand to prove
His solace and his shield.”
She took the old man her behind
Upon her palfrey gray,
And swifter nor the southland wind
They scour'd the velvet brae.
Upon her palfrey gray,
And swifter nor the southland wind
They scour'd the velvet brae.
And the palfrey's tail behind did sail
O'er locker and o'er lea;
While the tears stood in the old man's eyne,
With swiftness and with glee;
O'er locker and o'er lea;
While the tears stood in the old man's eyne,
With swiftness and with glee;
For the comely dame had promised him
Of riches mighty store,
That his kind heart might have full scope
For feeding of the poor.
Of riches mighty store,
That his kind heart might have full scope
For feeding of the poor.
“Now grace me save!” said the good auld man;
“Where bears thy bridle hand?
Art thou going to break the Greenock bank?
Or the bank of fair Scotland?
“Where bears thy bridle hand?
Art thou going to break the Greenock bank?
Or the bank of fair Scotland?
“My conscience hardly this may brook;
But on this you may depend,
Whatever is given unto me,
Is to a righteous end.”
But on this you may depend,
Whatever is given unto me,
Is to a righteous end.”
“Keep thou thy seat,” said the comely dame,
“And conscience clear and stenne;
There is plenty of gold in the sea's bottom
To enrich ten thousand men.
“And conscience clear and stenne;
There is plenty of gold in the sea's bottom
To enrich ten thousand men.
“Ride on with me, and thou shalt see
What treasures there do lie;
For I can gallop the emerald wave,
And along its channels dry.”
What treasures there do lie;
For I can gallop the emerald wave,
And along its channels dry.”
“If thou canst do that,” said the good old man,
“Thou shalt ride thy lane for me;
For I can neither swim, nor dive,
Nor walk the raging sea:
“Thou shalt ride thy lane for me;
For I can neither swim, nor dive,
Nor walk the raging sea:
“For the salt water would blind mine eyne,
And what should I see there?
And buller buller down my throat;
Which thing I could not bear.”
And what should I see there?
And buller buller down my throat;
Which thing I could not bear.”
But away and away flew the comely dame
O'er moorland and o'er fell;
But whether they went north or south,
The old man could not tell.
O'er moorland and o'er fell;
But whether they went north or south,
The old man could not tell.
And the palfrey's tail behind did sail,
A comely sight to see,
Like little wee comet of the dale
Gaun skimmering o'er the lea.
A comely sight to see,
Like little wee comet of the dale
Gaun skimmering o'er the lea.
When the old man came to the salt sea's brink,
He quaked at the ocean faem;
But the palfrey splash'd into the same,
As it were its native hame.
He quaked at the ocean faem;
But the palfrey splash'd into the same,
As it were its native hame.
“Now Christ us save!” cried the good old man;
“Hath madness seized thine head?
For we shall sink in the ocean wave,
And bluther quhill we be dead.”
“Hath madness seized thine head?
For we shall sink in the ocean wave,
And bluther quhill we be dead.”
But the palfrey dash'd o'er the bounding wave,
With snifter and with stenne;
It was firmer nor the firmest sward
In all the Deffane glen.
With snifter and with stenne;
It was firmer nor the firmest sward
In all the Deffane glen.
But the good old man he held, as death
Holds by a sinner's tail;
Or as a craven clings to life,
When death does him assail.
Holds by a sinner's tail;
Or as a craven clings to life,
When death does him assail.
And the little wee palfrey shot away,
Like dragon's fiery train,
And up the wave, and down the wave,
Like meteor of the main.
Like dragon's fiery train,
And up the wave, and down the wave,
Like meteor of the main.
And its streaming tail behind did sail
With shimmer and with sheen;
And whenever it struck the mane of the wave,
The flashes of fire were seen.
With shimmer and with sheen;
And whenever it struck the mane of the wave,
The flashes of fire were seen.
“Ochone! ochone!” said the good old man,
“It is awesome to be here!
I fear these riches for which I greine
Shall cost me very dear;
“It is awesome to be here!
I fear these riches for which I greine
Shall cost me very dear;
“For we are running such perilous race
As mortals never ran;
And the devil is in that little beast,
If ever he was in man!”
As mortals never ran;
And the devil is in that little beast,
If ever he was in man!”
310
“Hurrah! hurrah! my bonnie gray!”
Cried the Maiden of the Sea;
“Ha! thou canst sweep the emerant deep
Swifter nor bird can flee!
Cried the Maiden of the Sea;
“Ha! thou canst sweep the emerant deep
Swifter nor bird can flee!
“For thou wast bred in a coral bed,
Beneath a silver sun,
Where the broad daylight, or the moon by night,
Could never never won;
Beneath a silver sun,
Where the broad daylight, or the moon by night,
Could never never won;
“Where the buirdly whale could never sail,
Nor the lazy walrus row;
And the little wee thing that gave thee suck,
Was a thing of the caves below.
Nor the lazy walrus row;
And the little wee thing that gave thee suck,
Was a thing of the caves below.
“And thou shalt run till the last sun
Sink o'er the westland hill;
And thou shalt ride the ocean tide
Till all its waves lie still.
Sink o'er the westland hill;
And thou shalt ride the ocean tide
Till all its waves lie still.
“Away! away! my bonnie gray!
Where billows rock the dead,
And where the richest prize lies low,
In all the ocean's bed.
Where billows rock the dead,
And where the richest prize lies low,
In all the ocean's bed.
The palfrey scrapit with his foot,
And snorkit fearsomelye;
Then lookit over his left shoulder,
To see what he could see.
And snorkit fearsomelye;
Then lookit over his left shoulder,
To see what he could see.
And as ever you saw a moudiwort
Bore into a foggy lea,
So did this little devilish beast
Dive down into the sea.
Bore into a foggy lea,
So did this little devilish beast
Dive down into the sea.
The good old man he gave a rair
As loud as he could strain:
But the waters closed aboon his head,
And down he went amain!
As loud as he could strain:
But the waters closed aboon his head,
And down he went amain!
But he neither blutherit with his breath,
Nor gaspit with his ganne,
And not one drop of salt water
Adown his thropple ran.
Nor gaspit with his ganne,
And not one drop of salt water
Adown his thropple ran.
But he rode as fair, and he rode as free,
As if all swaithed and furl'd
In MacIntosh's patent ware,—
The marvel of this world.
As if all swaithed and furl'd
In MacIntosh's patent ware,—
The marvel of this world.
At length they came to a gallant ship,
In the channels of the sea,
That leant her shoulder to a rock,
With her masts full sore aglee.
In the channels of the sea,
That leant her shoulder to a rock,
With her masts full sore aglee.
And there lay many a gallant man,
Rock'd by the moving main;
And soundly soundly did they sleep,
Never to wake again.
Rock'd by the moving main;
And soundly soundly did they sleep,
Never to wake again.
The ships might sail, and friends might wail,
On margin of the sea,
But news of them they would never hear
Till the days of eternitye;
On margin of the sea,
But news of them they would never hear
Till the days of eternitye;
For it was plain, as plain could be,
From all they saw around,
That the ship had gone down to the deep
Without one warning sound—
From all they saw around,
That the ship had gone down to the deep
Without one warning sound—
Without one prayer pour'd to heaven—
Without one parting sigh,
Like sea-bird sailing on the wave,
That dives, we know not why.
Without one parting sigh,
Like sea-bird sailing on the wave,
That dives, we know not why.
It was a woeful sight to see,
In bowels of the deep,
Lovers and lemans lying clasp'd
In everlasting sleep.
In bowels of the deep,
Lovers and lemans lying clasp'd
In everlasting sleep.
So calmly they lay on their glitty beds,
And in their hammocks swung,
And the billows rock'd their drowsy forms,
And over their cradles sung.
And in their hammocks swung,
And the billows rock'd their drowsy forms,
And over their cradles sung.
And there was laid a royal maid,
As calm as if in heaven,
Who had three gold rings on each finger,
On her mid finger seven;
As calm as if in heaven,
Who had three gold rings on each finger,
On her mid finger seven;
And she had jewels in her ears,
And bracelets brave to see;
The gold that was around her head
Would have bought earldoms three.
And bracelets brave to see;
The gold that was around her head
Would have bought earldoms three.
Then the good old man pull'd out his knife—
It was both sharp and clear—
And he cut off the maiden's fingers small,
And the jewels from ilka ear.
It was both sharp and clear—
And he cut off the maiden's fingers small,
And the jewels from ilka ear.
“Oh, shame, oh, shame!” said the comely dame,
“Woe worth thy ruthless hand!
How darest thou mangle a royal corpse,
Once flower of many a land?
“Woe worth thy ruthless hand!
How darest thou mangle a royal corpse,
Once flower of many a land?
“And all for the sake of trinkets vain,
'Mid such a store as this?”
“Ochone, alake!” quod the good auld man,
“You judge full far amiss;
'Mid such a store as this?”
“Ochone, alake!” quod the good auld man,
“You judge full far amiss;
“It is better they feed the righteous poor,
That on their God depend;
Than to lie slumbering in the deep
For neither use nor end,
That on their God depend;
Than to lie slumbering in the deep
For neither use nor end,
“Unless to grace a partan's limb
With costly, shining ore,
Or deck a lobster's burly snout—
A beast which I abhor!”
With costly, shining ore,
Or deck a lobster's burly snout—
A beast which I abhor!”
Then the Sea-maid smiled a doubtful smile,
And said, with lifted e'e—
“Full many a righteous man I have seen,
But never a one like thee!
And said, with lifted e'e—
“Full many a righteous man I have seen,
But never a one like thee!
“But thou shalt have thine heart's desire,
In feeding the upright;
And all the good shall bless the day
That first thou saw the light.”
In feeding the upright;
And all the good shall bless the day
That first thou saw the light.”
311
Then she loaded him with gems of gold,
On channel of the main;
Yet the good old man was not content,
But turn'd him back again.
On channel of the main;
Yet the good old man was not content,
But turn'd him back again.
And every handful he put in,
He said right wistfullye,
“Och, this will ane whole fortune prove
For one poor familye!”
He said right wistfullye,
“Och, this will ane whole fortune prove
For one poor familye!”
And he neifuit in, and he neifuit in,
And never could refrain,
Quhill the little wee horse he could not move,
Nor mount the wave again;
And never could refrain,
Quhill the little wee horse he could not move,
Nor mount the wave again;
But he snorkit with his little nose,
Till he made the sea rocks ring,
And waggit his tail across the wave
With many an angry swing.
Till he made the sea rocks ring,
And waggit his tail across the wave
With many an angry swing.
“Come away, come away, my little bonnie gray,
Think of the good before;
There is as much gold upon thy back
As will feed ten thousand poor!”
Think of the good before;
There is as much gold upon thy back
As will feed ten thousand poor!”
Then the little wee horse he strauchlit on,
Through darkling scenes sublime—
O'er shoals, and stones, and dead men's bones;
But the wave he could not climb:
Through darkling scenes sublime—
O'er shoals, and stones, and dead men's bones;
But the wave he could not climb:
But along, along, he sped along
The floors of the silent sea,
With a world of waters o'er his head,
And groves of the coral tree.
The floors of the silent sea,
With a world of waters o'er his head,
And groves of the coral tree.
And the tide stream flow'd, and the billows row'd
An hundred fathoms high;
And the light that lighted the floors below
Seem'd from some other sky;
An hundred fathoms high;
And the light that lighted the floors below
Seem'd from some other sky;
For it stream'd and trembled on its way,
Of beams and splendour shorn,
And flow'd with an awful holiness,
As on a journey borne,
Of beams and splendour shorn,
And flow'd with an awful holiness,
As on a journey borne,
Till at length they saw the glorious sun,
Far in the west that glow'd,
Flashing like fire-flaughts up and down
With every wave that row'd.
Far in the west that glow'd,
Flashing like fire-flaughts up and down
With every wave that row'd.
Then the old man laugh'd a heartsome laugh,
And a heartsome laugh laugh'd he,
To see the sun in such a trim
Dancing so furiouslye;
And a heartsome laugh laugh'd he,
To see the sun in such a trim
Dancing so furiouslye;
For he thought the angels of the even
Had taken the blessed sun,
To toss in the blue blanket of heaven,
To make them glorious fun.
Had taken the blessed sun,
To toss in the blue blanket of heaven,
To make them glorious fun.
But at length the May and her palfrey gray,
And the good old man beside,
Set their three heads aboon the wave,
And came in with the flowing tide.
And the good old man beside,
Set their three heads aboon the wave,
And came in with the flowing tide.
Then all the folks on the shores of Fife
A terror flight began,
And the burgess men of old Kinross
They left their hames and ran;
A terror flight began,
And the burgess men of old Kinross
They left their hames and ran;
For they ken'd the Sea-maid's glossy e'e,
Like the blue of heaven that shone;
And the little wee horse of the coral cave,
That neither had blood nor bone.
Like the blue of heaven that shone;
And the little wee horse of the coral cave,
That neither had blood nor bone.
And they said, when she came unto their coast,
She never came there for good,
But warning to give of storms and wrecks,
And the shedding of Christian blood.
She never came there for good,
But warning to give of storms and wrecks,
And the shedding of Christian blood.
Alake for the good men of Kinross,
For their wits were never rife!
For now she came with a mighty store,
For the saving of poor men's life.
For their wits were never rife!
For now she came with a mighty store,
For the saving of poor men's life.
When the little wee horse he found his feet
On the firm ground and the dry,
He shook his mane, and gave a graen,
And threw his heels on high,
On the firm ground and the dry,
He shook his mane, and gave a graen,
And threw his heels on high,
Quhill the gold play'd jingle on the shore
That eased him of his pain;
Then he turn'd and kick'd it where it lay,
In very great disdain.
That eased him of his pain;
Then he turn'd and kick'd it where it lay,
In very great disdain.
And he hitt the old man right behind
With such unsparing might,
That he made him jump seven ells and more,
And on his face to light.
With such unsparing might,
That he made him jump seven ells and more,
And on his face to light.
“Now, woe be to thee for a wicked beast!
For since ever thy life began,
I never saw thee lift thy foot
Against a righteous man.
For since ever thy life began,
I never saw thee lift thy foot
Against a righteous man.
“But fare-thee-well, thou good old man,
Thy promise keep in mind;
Let this great wealth I have given to thee
Be a blessing to thy kind.
Thy promise keep in mind;
Let this great wealth I have given to thee
Be a blessing to thy kind.
“So as thou strive so shalt thou thrive,
And be it understood
That I must visit thee again,
For evil or for good.”
And be it understood
That I must visit thee again,
For evil or for good.”
Then the bonnie May she rode her way
Along the sea-wave green,
And away and away on her palfrey gray,
Like the ocean's comely queen.
Along the sea-wave green,
And away and away on her palfrey gray,
Like the ocean's comely queen.
As she fared up the Firth of Forth
The fishes fled all before,
And a thousand cods and haddocks brave
Ran swattering right ashore.
The fishes fled all before,
And a thousand cods and haddocks brave
Ran swattering right ashore.
A hundred-and-thretty buirdly whales
Went snoring up the tide,
And wide on Alloa's fertile holms
They gallop'd ashore and died.
Went snoring up the tide,
And wide on Alloa's fertile holms
They gallop'd ashore and died.
312
But it grieveth my heart to tell to you,
What I never have told before,
Of that man so righteous and so good,
So long as he was poor;
What I never have told before,
Of that man so righteous and so good,
So long as he was poor;
But, whenever he got more store of gold
Than ever his wits could tell,
He never would give a mite for good,
Neither for heaven nor hell.
Than ever his wits could tell,
He never would give a mite for good,
Neither for heaven nor hell.
But he brooded o'er that mighty store
With sordid heart of sin,
And the houseless wight, or the poor by night,
His gate wan never within.
With sordid heart of sin,
And the houseless wight, or the poor by night,
His gate wan never within.
And the last accounts I had of him
Are very strange to tell—
He was seen with the May and the palfrey gray
Riding fiercely out through hell.
Are very strange to tell—
He was seen with the May and the palfrey gray
Riding fiercely out through hell.
And aye she cried, “Hurrah, hurrah!
Make room for me and mine!
I bring you the man of Alloa
To his punishment condign!
Make room for me and mine!
I bring you the man of Alloa
To his punishment condign!
“His Maker tried him in the fire,
To make his heart contrite;
But, when he gat his heart's desire,
He proved a hypocrite.”
To make his heart contrite;
But, when he gat his heart's desire,
He proved a hypocrite.”
Then all you poor and contrite ones,
In deep afflictions hurl'd,
Oh, never grieve or vex your hearts
For the riches of this world;
In deep afflictions hurl'd,
Oh, never grieve or vex your hearts
For the riches of this world;
For they bring neither health nor peace
Unto thy spirit's frame;
And there is a treasure better far,
Which minstrel dares not name.
Unto thy spirit's frame;
And there is a treasure better far,
Which minstrel dares not name.
Hast thou not heard an olden say,
By one who could not lee?—
It is something of a great big beast
Going through a needle's e'e.
By one who could not lee?—
It is something of a great big beast
Going through a needle's e'e.
Then think of that, and be content;
For life is but a day,
And the night of death is gathering fast
To close upon your way.
For life is but a day,
And the night of death is gathering fast
To close upon your way.
As this is likely to be the only part of my truthful ballad the veracity of which may be disputed, I assure the reader that it is a literal fact; and that, with a single tide, in the month of March, a few years ago, not less than 130 whales were left ashore in the vicinity of Alloa. The men of Alloa called them young ones; but to me it appeared that they had been immense fishes. Their skeletons at a distance were like those of large horses. Two old ones ran up as far as the milldam of Cambus, on the Devon, where they were left by the retreating tide, and where, after a day's severe exercise and excellent sport to a great multitude, they were both slain, along with a young one, which one of the old whales used every effort to defend, bellowing most fearfully when she saw it attacked. On testifying my wonder to the men of Cambus why the whales should all have betaken them to the dry land. I was answered by a sly fellow, that “A mermaid had been seen driving them up the firth, which had frightened them so much, it had put them all out of their judgments!”
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