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THRUMMY CAP.
A TALE.
In ancient times, far i‘ the north,
A hunder miles ayont the forth,
Upon a stormy winter day,
Twa men forgather‘d o‘ the way,
Ane was a sturdy bardoch chiel
An‘ frae the weather happit weel,
Wi‘ a mill‘d plaiding jockey-coat
And eke he on his head had got
A thrummy cap baith large and stont,
Wi‘ flaps ahind, as weel‘s a snout,
Whilk button‘d close aneath his chin,
To keep the cauld frae getting in:
Upon his legs he had gammashes,
Whilk sodgers term their spatterdashes
An’ on his hands, instead o’ gloves,
Large doddy mittens, whilk he‘d roose
For warmness, an‘ an aiken stick,
Nae verra lang, but unco thick,
Intill his nieve—he drave awa’,
But car’d for neither frost nor snaw,
The ither was just the reverse,
O‘ claes and courage baith was scarce,
Sae in our tale, as we go on,
I think we’ll ca’ him cow’rldy John.
Sae on they gade at a gude scowe’r,
’Cause that they saw a gath’ring shower,
A hunder miles ayont the forth,
Upon a stormy winter day,
Twa men forgather‘d o‘ the way,
Ane was a sturdy bardoch chiel
An‘ frae the weather happit weel,
Wi‘ a mill‘d plaiding jockey-coat
And eke he on his head had got
A thrummy cap baith large and stont,
Wi‘ flaps ahind, as weel‘s a snout,
Whilk button‘d close aneath his chin,
To keep the cauld frae getting in:
Upon his legs he had gammashes,
Whilk sodgers term their spatterdashes
An’ on his hands, instead o’ gloves,
Large doddy mittens, whilk he‘d roose
For warmness, an‘ an aiken stick,
Nae verra lang, but unco thick,
Intill his nieve—he drave awa’,
But car’d for neither frost nor snaw,
The ither was just the reverse,
O‘ claes and courage baith was scarce,
Sae in our tale, as we go on,
I think we’ll ca’ him cow’rldy John.
Sae on they gade at a gude scowe’r,
’Cause that they saw a gath’ring shower,
