Address To A Haggis,
Robert Burns -- 1786


Also the Selkirk Grace and a few famous Scottish toasts.


Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!
Aboon them a' yet tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin was help to mend a mill
In time o'need,
While thro' your pore the dews distil
Like amber bead

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin', rich!

Then, horn for horn,they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit! hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad make her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckles as wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash;
His nieve a nit;
Thro' blody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' hands will sned,
Like taps o' trissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer
Gie her a haggis!

Link to Robertburns.org's version with interactive translator.

Haggis Hunt...

The Famous Scottish Haggis

World Burns Club -- What is a Haggis...

The RI Burns Anniversary Committee is a member #1007
of the Robert Burns World Federation .


 

 

The Selkirk Grace

Some hae meat and canna eat;
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat;
**Sae let the Lord be thankit.

**The last line is sometimes changed to
And sae the Lord be thankit

For more information:

Rampant Scotland, Selkirk Grace

Burns Supper information

 

Here's a bottle and an honest man!
What wad ye wish for mair, man?
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o' care, man?

Then catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man.
Believe me happiness is shy,
And comes not aye when sought, man!

--Robert Burns

May the best ye've ever seen
Be the worst ye'll ever see
May a moose (mouse)
ne'er leave yer girnal (cupboard)
Wi' a tear drap in his e'e.

May ye aye keep hale an' herty
Till ye're auld eneuch tae dee
May ye aye be jist as happy
As we wish ye aye tae be

-- atributed to Allan Ramsay of Ayrshire

Here's tae us
Wha's like us Damn few,
And they're a' deid
Mair's the pity!

--Unknown

 

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