When the doors were a’ barred, he at midnicht wad come—
Or afar in some glen wi’ the bogles wad be,
A’ the dead o’ the nicht, haudin’ unholy glee—
Or dancing wi’ fairies far ben in the wud,
Or sailing in cockle-shells far o’er the flud,
Or fleeing wi’ witches awa’ through the air,
Or doing dark deeds that I daurna declare.
Wi’ a sly noiseless step butt the house he wud come,
And set himsel’ doun by the side o’ the lum,
An’ mutter dark words wi’ a strange eldrich soun’,