Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MUCKLE-MOU'D MEG, by JAMES BALLANTYNE


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MUCKLE-MOU'D MEG, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Oh, wha hae ye brought us hame now, my brave lord
Last Line: Elibank hunt again, wat's snug at hame.
Alternate Author Name(s): Ballantine, James
Subject(s): Scotland


"OH, wha hae ye brought us hame now, my
brave lord,
Strappit flaught ower his braid saddle-
bow?
Some bauld Border reiver to feast at our board
An' herry our pantry, I trow.
He's buirdly an' stalwart in lith an' in limb:
Gin ye were his master in war
The field was a saft enough litter for him --
Ye needna hae brought him sae far; --
Then saddle an' munt again, harness an' dunt
again,
An' when ye gae hunt again, strike higher
game." --
"Hoot, whist ye, my dame, for he comes o' gude
kin,
An' boasts o' lang pedigree;
This night he maun share o' our gude cheer
within,
At morning's gray dawn he maun dee.
He's gallant War Scott, heir o' proud Harden
Ha',
Wha ettled our lands clear to sweep;
But now he is snug in auld Elibank's paw,
An' shall swing frae our donjon-keep.
Though saddle an' taunt again, harness an' dunt
again,
I'll ne'er when I hunt again strike higher
game." --
"Is this young Wat Scott? an' wad ye rax his
craig,
When our daughter is fey for a man?
Gae, gaur the loun marry our muckle-mou'd Meg,
Or we'll ne'er get the jaud aff our
han'!"
"'Od, hear our gudewife! she wad fain save your
life:--
War Scott, will ye marry or hang?"
But Meg's muckle mou set young Wat's heart
agrue,
Wha swore to the woodie he'd gang.
Ne'er saddle nor taunt again, harness nor dunt
again,
War ne'er shall hunt again, ne'er see his hame.
Syne muckle-mou'd Meg pressed in close to his
side,
An' blinkit fu' sleely and kind;
But aye as Wat glowered on his braw proffered
bride,
He shook like a leaf in the wind.
"A bride or a gallows; a rope or a wife!"
The morning dawned sunny and clear:
War boldly strode forward to part wi' his life,
Till he saw Meggy shedding a tear;
Then saddle an' munt again, harness an' dunt
again,
Fain wad Wat hunt again, fain wad he hame.
Meg's tear touched his bosom -- the gibbet
frowned high --
An' slowly, Wat strode to his doom;
He gae a glance round wi' a tear in his eye, --
Meg shone like a star through the gloom.
She rushed to his arms; they were wed on the
spot,
An' lo'ed ither muckle and lang.
Nae bauld border laird had a wife like War Scott:
'T was better to marry than hang.
So saddle an' taunt again, harness an' dunt again,
Elibank hunt again, Wat's snug at hame.




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