ON HALLOWEEN. Janet Little (later Richmond) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T126549 Little, Janet, 1759-1813. The Poetical Works of Janet Little, the Scotch Milkmaid. Air Printed by John & Peter Wilson 1792 pp. [167]-170.

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ON HALLOWEEN . SOME folk in courts for pleasure sue , An' some ransack the theatre : The airy nymph is won by few ; She's of so coy a nature . She shuns the great bedaub'd with lace , Intent on rural jokin An' spite o' breeding , deigns to grace A merry Airshire rockin , Sometimes at night . At Halloween , when fairy sprites Perform their mystic gambols , When ilka witch her neebour greets , On their nocturnal rambles ; When elves at midnight-hour are seen , Near hollow caverns sportin , Then lads an' lasses aft convene , In hopes to ken their fortune , By freets that night . At Jennet Reid's not long ago , Was held an annual meeting , Of lasses fair an' fine also , With charms the most inviting : Though it was wat , an' wondrous mirk , It stopp'd nae kind intention ; Some sprightly youths , frae Loudoun-kirk , Did haste to the convention , Wi' glee that night . The nuts upon a clean hearthstane Were plac'd by ane anither , An' some gat lads , an' some gat nane , Just as they bleez'd the gither . Some sullen cooffs refuse to burn ; Bad luck can ne'er be mended ; But or they a' had got a turn , The pokefu' nits was ended Owre soon that night . A candle on a stick was hung , An' ti'd up to the kipple : Ilk lad an' lass , baith auld an' young , Did try to catch the apple ; Which aft , in spite o' a' their care , Their furious jaws escaped ; They touch'd it ay , but did nae mair , Though greedily they gaped , Fu' wide that night . The dishes then , by joint advice , Were plac'd upon the floor ; Some stammer'd on the toom ane thrice , In that unlucky hour . Poor Mall maun to the garret go , Nae rays o' comfort meeting ; Because sae aft she's answer'd no , She'll spend her days in greeting , An' ilka night . Poor James sat trembling for his fate ; He lang had dree'd the worst o't ; Though they had tugg'd and rugg'd till yet , To touch the dish he durst not . The empty bowl , before his eyes , Replete with ills appeared ; No man nor maid could make him rise , The consequence he feared Sae much that night . Wi' heartsome glee the minutes past , Each act to mirth conspired : The cushion dance perform'd at last , Was most of all admired . From Janet's bed a bolster came , Nor lad nor lass was missing ; But ilka ane wha caught the same , Was pleas'd wi' routh o' kissing , Fu' sweet that night . Soon as they heard the forward clock Proclaim 'twas nine , they started , An' ilka lass took up her rock ; Reluctantly they parted , In hopes to meet some other time , Exempt from false aspersion ; Nor will they count it any crime , To hae sic like diversion Some future night .