[skittish]
An' stable-meals at fairs were driegh, [dull]
How thou wad prance, an' snore, an' skriegh [snort, neigh]
An' tak the road!
Town's-bodies ran, and stood abeigh, [aloof]
An' ca't thee mad.

When thou was corn't, an' I was mellow, [full of corn]
We took the road aye like a swallow:
At brooses thou had ne'er a fellow [wedding-races]
For pith an' speed;
But ev'ry tail thou pay't them hollow,
Where'er thou gaed. [went]

The sma', drooped-rumpled hunter cattle, [short-rumped]
Might aiblins waur'd thee for a brattle; [perhaps have beat, spurt]
But sax Scotch miles, thou tried their mettle,
An' gart them whaizle; [wheeze]
Nae whip nor spur, but just a wattle
O' saugh or hazel. [willow]

Thou was a noble fittie-lan', [near horse of hindmost pair]
As e'er in tug or tow was drawn! [hide or tow traces]
Aft thee an' I, in aucht hours gaun, [eight, going]
On guid March-weather,
Hae turn'd sax rood beside our han',
For days thegither.

Thou never braindg't, an' fetch't, an' fliskit, [plunged, stopped,
But thy auld tail thou wad hae whiskit, capered]
An' spread abreed thy weel-fill'd brisket, [chest]
Wi' pith an' pow'r, [rooty hillocks,
Till spritty knowes wad rair't and riskit, roared, cracked]
An' slypet owre. [fallen gently over]

When frosts lay lang, an' snaws were deep,
An' threaten'd labour back to keep,
I gied thy cog a wee bit heap [dish]
Aboon the timmer; [edges]
I kenn'd my Maggie wad na sleep
For that, or simmer. [ere]

In cart or car thou never reestit; [were restive]
The steyest brae thou wad hae faced it;