Halloween

halloween注释标题isthoughttobeanightwhenwitches,devils,andothermischief-makingbeingsareabroadontheirbanefulmidnighterrands;particularlythoseaerialpeople,thefairies,aresaidonthatnighttoholdagrandanniversary,.—r.b.

thefollowingpoemwill,bymanyreaders,bewellenoughunderstood;butforthesakeofthosewhoareunacquaintedwiththemannersandtraditionsofthecountrywherethesceneiscast,notesareaddedtogivesomeaccountoftheprincipalcharmsandspellsofthatnight,sobigwithprophecytothepeasantryinthewestofscotland.thepassionofpryingintofuturitymakesastrikingpartofthehistoryofhumannatureinitsrudestate,inallagesandnations;anditmaybesomeentertainmenttoaphilosophicmind,ifanysuchhonourtheauthorwithaperusal,toseetheremainsofitamongthemoreunenlightenedinourown.—r.b.

yes!lettherichderide,theprouddisdain,

thesimplepleasureofthelowlytrain;

tomemoredear,congenialtomyheart,

onenativecharm,thanalltheglossofart.—goldsmith.

uponthatnight,whenfairieslight

oncassilisdownansdance,

orowrethelays,insplendidblaze,

onsprightlycoursersprance;

orforcoleantheroutista'en,

beneaththemoon'spalebeams;

there,upthecove,tostrayan'rove,

amangtherocksandstreams

tosportthatnight;

amangtheboniewindingbanks,

wheredoonrins,wimplin,clear;

wherebruceancerul'dthemartialranks,

an'shookhiscarrickspear;

somemerry,friendly,countra-folks

togetherdidconvene,

toburntheirnits,an'poutheirstocks,

an'haudtheirhalloween

fu'blythethatnight.

thelassesfeat,an'cleanlyneat,

mairbrawthanwhenthey'refine;

theirfacesblythe,fu'sweetlykythe,

heartsleal,an'warm,an'kin':

theladssaetrig,wi'wooer-babs

weel-knottedontheirgarten;

someuncoblate,an'somewi'gabs

garlasses'heartsgangstartin

whilesfastatnight.

then,firstan'foremost,thro'thekail,

theirstocks【1】mauna'besoughtance;

【1】thefirstceremonyofhalloweenispullingeacha“stock,”orplantofkail.theymustgoout,handinhand,witheyesshut,andpullthefirsttheymeetwith:itsbeingbigorlittle,straightorcrooked,ispropheticofthesizeandshapeofthegrandobjectofalltheirspells—thehusbandorwife.ifany“yird,”orearth,sticktotheroot,thatis“tocher,”orfortune;andthetasteofthe“custock,”thatis,theheartofthestem,isindicativeofthenaturaltemperanddisposition.lastly,thestems,or,togivethemtheirordinaryappellation,the“runts,”areplacedsomewhereabovetheheadofthedoor;andthechristiannamesofthepeoplewhomchancebringsintothehouseare,accordingtothepriorityofplacingthe“runts,”thenamesinquestion.—r.b.]

theysteektheireen,andgrapean'wale

formuckleanes,an'straughtanes.

poorhav'relwillfellaffthedrift,

an'wanderedthro'thebow-kail,

an'pou'tforwanto'bettershift

aruntwaslikeasow-tail

saebow'tthatnight.

then,straughtorcrooked,yirdornane,

theyroaran'crya'throu'ther;

theverawee-things,toddlin,rin,

wi'stocksoutowretheirshouther:

an'gifthecustock'ssweetorsour,

wi'joctelegstheytastethem;

synecoziely,aboonthedoor,