Rachel Clarke

Die Geschichte:

On his way home from the market through the forest one night, the drunken Tam observes the devil and his entourage celebrating in a ruined church. With a band of witches on his heels, Tam flees for his life on his mare Meg. Was Scotland's national poet Robert Burns inspired by Goethe's poem ‘Erlkönig’ - “The Earl King”, written ten years earlier, when he wrote Scotland's most famous poem, Tam O'Shanter?

Tam O’Shanter - a Ballad

by Robert Burns (1792)

Translation available in German verse, also as performance, by Rachel Clarke (2012).

Of Brownyis and of Bogillis full is this buke.
— Gawin Douglas

When chapman billies leave the street,
And drouthy neebors, neebors meet,
As market-days are wearing late,
An’ folk begin to tak the gate;
While we sit bousing at the nappy,
And getting fou and unco’ happy,
We think na on the lang Scots miles,
The mosses, waters, slaps and styles,
That lie between us and our hame,
Whare sits our sulky sullen dame,
Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.

This truth fand honest Tam o’ Shanter,
As he frae Ayr ae night did canter,
(Auld Ayr, wham ne’er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonny lasses.)

O Tam! hadst thou but been sae wise,
As ta’en thy ain wife Kate’s advice!
She taul thee weel thou was a skellum,
A blethering, blustering, drunken blellum;
That frae November till October,
Ae market-day thou was nae sober;

That ilka melder, wi’ the miller,
Thou sat as lang as thou had siller;
That every naig was ca’d a shoe on,
The smith and thee gat roaring fou on;
That at the L—d’s house, even on Sunday,
Thou drank wi’ Kirkton Jean till Monday.
She prophesied that late or soon,
Thou would be found deep drown’d in Doon;
Or catch’d wi’ warlocks in the mirk,
By Alloway’s auld haunted kirk.

…

Full duration, 20 Min.