Tam o' Shanter

"Tam o' Shanter" is one of Scottish poet Robert Burns' most famous and beloved creations. The epic poem tells the story of poor Tam o' Shanter, who after a night of drinking, tarries too long at the local pub. On his ride home, he comes upon a covene of warlocks and witches celebrating an infernal mass at the haunted ruins of the Alloway Kirk. Burns poem is humorous and rife with the Samhain spirit.

The poem is accompanied by essays regarding the story of its creation, the relationship of Tam o' Shanter to other similar tales, and historical placement and antecedents to Tam's tale.