So much to learn here, at least for me. I discovered Robert Burns, a Scottish poet who, among others, wrote a poem on haggis. I learned about Burns night, which is celebrated traditionally on or around his birthday, on the 25 of January. This night seems to be even of more importance than the official national Scottish day. Burns night comes with a Burns supper that includes haggis, Scotch whiskey, and Burns poems’ recitation. The poetry to be honoured here is Tam o’ Shanter. It’s a poem about Tam, a farmer who gets drunk a lot with his friends and goes back home to an angry wife. That particular night, going home, he encounters witches and devils and is somewhat aroused by a young witch dancing with few clothes on her. He then gets chased by these witches who cut of the tail of his horse Meg. Quite an epic poem. Nice to listen to it read in Scottish.
“As Tammie glowr’d, amaz’d, and curious,
The mirth and fun grew fast and furious;
The piper loud and louder blew;
The dancers quick and quicker flew;
They reel’d, they set, they cross’d, they cleekit,
Till ilka carlin swat and reekit,
And coost her duddies to the wark,
And linket at it in her sark!”
“As Thomas glowered, amazed, and curious,
The mirth and fun grew fast and furious;
The piper loud and louder blew,
The dancers quick and quicker flew,
They reeled, they set, they crossed, they linked,
Till every witch sweated and smelled,
And cast her ragged clothes to the floor,
And danced deftly at it in her underskirts!”