Tam o' Shanter
The ‘heroic’ Tam o’ Shanter was based on one Dugal Graham, the tenant of Shanter Farm and well known to Burns.
This chess piece shows Tam “weel-mounted on his grey mare Meg” as he flees the witches of the haunted Kirk Alloway. Meg (or Maggie) carried him to safety over the bridge across the stream -“where witches dare na’ cross!” – “but left behind her ain grey tail” to the witch “Nannie”.
In Homage to Tam and Burns (and Nannie), the world-famous tea clipper, “Cutty Sark” was so named. Launched 1869, the figurehead on the ship’s bow is Nannie the witch with Maggie’s tail hanging from her outstretched hand. Ironic indeed, that this legendary clipper crossed the wild Atlantic times without number, when witches were reputedly unable to cross even a running stream!
‘Tam O’ Shanter’- 1790 Robert Burns
“…But ere the keystane she could make, The fient a tail she had to shake! For Nannie, far before the rest, Hard upon noble Maggie prest,
And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle; But little wist she Maggie's mettle! Ae spring brought off her master hale, But left behind her ain grey tail…”
‘Tam O’ Shanter’ - Chris Rutterford