The husband frae the wife despises!
But to our tale: Ae market night,
Tam had got planted unco right, uncommonly
Fast by an ingle, bleezing finely, fireside, blazing
Wi' reaming swats, that drank divinely; foaming ale
And at his elbow, Souter Johnny, Cobbler
His ancient, trusty, drouthy crony;
Tam lo'ed him like a very brither; loved
They had been fou for weeks thegither.
The night drave on wi' sangs and clatter,