298 TAM 0' PHILOGAR 



Some years ago the writer visited the stone, and had with 

 him a boy of fourteen belonging to the district. When looking 

 into the deep rent the boy, in his Liddesdale doric, said, 

 " I'se been in there, sir." This seemed impossible, but he 

 immediately went to another side of the stone and pointed 

 out the entrance, a very small hole at the foot of the stone. 

 The writer still looked incredulous, and the boy at once said, 

 •'If we had the dirt scrapit away ye could creep in yersel'." 

 He was right. The stone may therefore have been used 

 occasionally as a hiding-place in the marauding days, and 

 the occupant could easily give a groan when any wayfarer 

 struck it. It is therefore possible, if not very probable, that 

 the legend may have arisen from such circumstances as these 

 remarks suggest. 



The raid is bitter and ill to bear 



Wi' Tarn o' Phildgar in the van; 

 His deep-laid night wark is mair to fear 



Than a braid day onset, man to man. 



Wi' craft o' the fox, a heart o' stane, 



And greed and cruelty ralin' a', 

 The harried house and the widow's grane 



Are but to him as the last year's snaw. 



On the Liddel heads the sheilings bare 

 And clootless lands o' his onslaughts tell; 



And sorrow hangs i' the vera air 



Where dauntless Wullie o' Singden fell. 



And drear and dowie's the Coquet height, 



Where the Brownhart halflins raced and ran ; 



A' foully slain i' the dead o' night — 

 And Tarn o' Phildgar was the man. 



But grief is quickened to rage at last ; 



The ca' for revenge flees far and wide; 

 And Tam o' Phildgar hears the blast, 



And daurna venture again to ride. 



Baith sides o' the Border his misdeeds 



Hae bitterly borne for many a day ; 

 And now the men o' the waterheads 



SiirroQnd Phildgar in grim array. 



