A Scottish Tale of Hallowe'en

The Ferry House or A Scottish Tale of Hallowe'en is a poem written by John Galt and published in Literary Life and Miscellanies (Volume II).  It is a dream-like work of horrors that may be seen at Hallowe'en.

One verse is particularly descriptive -

"Then up full brisk the mort arose,

Awak’ning from its dumb repose,

But, oh! he was a sight to see,

As one that died in poverty;

For he was gaunt, the flesh was gone,

Without was skin, within was bone;

His een did shine like blobs of dew;

But, oh! his mouth! It gart me grue!

His neck was long, his legs and arms

Were things but seen at witching charms;

He was as Hunger’s eager gnaw

Had toom’d his inside, kite and a’!"

The work ends with a spooky warning!

“’Twas James that spoke – a moment’s gleam

Show’d I had dreamt a prophet’s dream;

For those I saw, the guests were they,

Since ta’en by Death: this gars me say,

While heaven is blue and earth is green,

Wake not a corpse on Hallowe’en.”

John Galt's Hallowe'en!