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British Broadcasting Corporation 
Robert Burns


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About this work

This is a poem by Robert Burns. It was written in 1785 and is read here by Ralph Riach.

Themes for this poem

supernatural religion marriage

Selected for 31 October

American style 'trick or treat' juvenile extortion rackets have largely replaced Scottish guising. A tradition whereby, to earn sweets or toffee apples, children sang, recited, ducked for apples with forks in their mouths and tried to eat treacle slathered bread suspended from a washing line. Yet Hallowe'en retains some of its eerie allure. For the Celts the last day of October was when the air separating the living from the dead grew thin. Thanks to a folk tale loving relative of his mother, Robert Burns was brought up on spooky yarns, scary songs and superstitious lore of every spine tingling sort. Despite some creepy foreboding the locals enjoying this Hallowe'en party end up blithe enough.

Donny O'Rourke

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