1786 theauldfarmer'snew-year-morningsalutationtohisauldmare,maggie ongivinghertheaccustomedrippofcorntohanselinthenewyear. aguidnew-yeariwishthee,maggie! hae,there'saripptothyauldbaggie: tho'thou'showe-backitnow,an'knaggie, i'veseentheday thoucouldhaegaenlikeonystaggie, out-owrethelay. tho'nowthou'sdowie,stiff,an'crazy, an'thyauldhideaswhite'sadaisie, i'veseentheedappl't,sleekan'glaizie, aboniegray: heshouldbeentightthatdaur'ttoraizethee, anceinaday. thouancewasi'theforemostrank, afillybuirdly,steeve,an'swank an'setweeldownashapelyshank, ase'ertreadyird an'couldhaeflownout-owreastank, likeonybird. it'snowsomenine-an'-twentyyear, sin'thouwasmyguid-father'smear hegiedmethee,o'tocherclear, an'fiftymark tho'itwassma','twasweel-wongear, an'thouwasstark. whenfirstigaedtowoomyjenny, yethenwastrottingwi'yourminnie: tho'yewastrickie,slee,an'funnie, yene'erwasdonsie buthamely,tawie,quiet,an'cannie, an'uncosonsie. thatday,yepranc'dwi'mucklepride, whenyeburehamemyboniebride: an'sweetan'gracefu'shedidride, wi'maidenair! kyle-stewarticouldbraggedwide forsicapair. tho'nowyedowbuthoyteandhobble, an'wintlelikeasaumontcoble, thatday,yewasajinkernoble, forheelsan'win'! an'ranthemtilheya'didwauble, far,far,behin'! whenthouan'iwereyoungan'skeigh, an'stable-mealsatfairsweredreigh, howthouwadprance,andsnore,an'skreigh an'taktheroad! town's-bodiesran,an'stoodabeigh, an'ca'ttheemad. whenthouwascorn't,an'iwasmellow, wetooktheroadayelikeaswallow: atbroosesthouhadne'erafellow, forpithan'speed butev'rytaihoupay'tthemhollowm whare'erthougaed. thesma',droop-rumpl't,huntercattle mightaiblinswaur'ttheeforabrattle butsaxscotchmile,thoutry'ttheirmettle, an'gar'tthemwhaizle: naewhipnorspur,butjustawattle o'saughorhazel. thouwasanoblefittie-lan', ase'erintugortowwasdrawn! afttheean'i,inaughthours'gaun, inguidmarch-weather, haeturn'dsaxroodbesideourhan', fordaysthegither. thouneverbraing't,an'fetch't,an'fliskit butthyauldtaihouwadhaewhiskit, an'spreadabreedthyweel-fill'dbrisket, wi'pithan'power tillsprittieknoweswadrair'tan'riskit an'slypetowre. whenfrostslaylang,an'snawsweredeep, an'threaten'dlabourbacktokeep, igiedthycogaweebitheap aboonthetimmer: iken'dmymaggiewadnasleep, forthat,orsimmer. incartorcarthouneverreestit thesteyestbraethouwadhaefac'tit thouneverlap,an'sten't,andbreastit, thenstoodtoblaw butjustthystepaweethinghastit, thousnoov'tawa. mypleughisnowthybairn-timea', fourgallantbrutesase'erdiddraw forbyesaxmaei'vesell'tawa, thatthouhastnurst: theydrewmethretteenpundan'twa, theverawarst. monyasairdaurkwetwahaewrought, an'wi'thewearywarl'fought! an'monyananxiousday,ithought wewadbebeat! yetheretocrazyagewe'rebrought, wi'somethingyet. an'thinkna',myauldtrustyservan', thatnowperhapsthou'slessdeservin, an'thyaulddaysmayendinstarvin formylastfow, aheapitstimpart,i'llreserveane laidbyforyou. we'veworntocrazyyearsthegither we'loyteaboutwi'aneanither wi'tentiecarei'llflitthytether tosomehain'drig, whareyemaynoblyraxyourleather, wi'sma'fatigue.