| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| Massacre of the Macpherson |
| | | William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813–65) |
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| FHAIRSHON swore a feud | |
| Against the clan M’Tavish— | |
| March’d into their land | |
| To murder and to rafish; | |
| For he did resolve | 5 |
| To extirpate the vipers, | |
| With four-and-twenty men, | |
| And five-and-thirty pipers. | |
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| But when he had gone | |
| Half-way down Strath-Canaan, | 10 |
| Of his fighting tail | |
| Just three were remainin’. | |
| They were all he had | |
| To back him in ta battle: | |
| All the rest had gone | 15 |
| Off to drive ta cattle. | |
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| “Fery coot!” cried Fhairshon— | |
| So my clan disgraced is; | |
| Lads, we ’ll need to fight | |
| Pefore we touch ta peasties. | 20 |
| Here ’s Mhic-Mac-Methusaleh | |
| Coming wi’ his fassals— | |
| Gillies seventy-three, | |
| And sixty Dhuinéwassels!” | |
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| “Coot tay to you, sir! | 25 |
| Are you not ta Fhairshon? | |
| Was you coming here | |
| To visit any person? | |
| You are a plackguard, sir? | |
| It is now six hundred | 30 |
| Coot long years, and more, | |
| Since my glen was plunder’d.” | |
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| “Fat is tat you say? | |
| Dar you cock your peaver? | |
| I will teach you, sir, | 35 |
| Fat is coot pehavior! | |
| You shall not exist | |
| For another day more; | |
| I will shot you, sir, | |
| Or stap you with my claymore!” | 40 |
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| “I am fery glad | |
| To learn what you mention, | |
| Since I can prevent | |
| Any such intention.” | |
| So Mhic-Mac-Methusaleh | 45 |
| Gave some warlike howls, | |
| Trew his skhian-dhu, | |
| An’ stuck it in his powels. | |
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| In this fery way | |
| Tied ta faliant Fhairshon, | 50 |
| Who was always thought | |
| A superior person. | |
| Fhairshon had a son, | |
| Who married Noah’s daughter, | |
| And nearly spoil’d ta flood | 55 |
| By trinking up ta water— | |
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| Which he would have done, | |
| I at least believe it, | |
| Had ta mixture peen | |
| Only half Glenlivet. | 60 |
| This is all my tale: | |
| Sirs, I hope ’t is new t’ ye! | |
| Here ’s your fery good healths, | |
| And tamn ta whusky tuty! | |
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