The Ballad of Agnes Bean

From ‘The Woe of Roanoke ‘ It wasn’t just the gale that chilled his skin As he mulled on the cannibal captured within. In trembling state he clenched close his cane To rap tap the gate of the jail in the rain. Four jailer badge enter, unbolted the door Jabbed, jolted the ragged convict in the floor. He shook himself down to render some warm Then span in alarm as he seized his arm “Close to me, notary! Sit near- if you dare! Sunrise I’ll swing from my tree of the hair. Wring your wet cloak and I’ll narrate The tale of the thousand folk that we ate!” Put quill to ink and I will tell Of those that are now burning in hell. I’ll tell of my past-that place I abhor And them that scared Ayrshire for years five and score. They say I’m a witch! Which I say to them nay! I’m a Christian now. I know how to pray I’m repented of sin, lamented the crime And my slate to lathe, this last night I’m confined. But your words just might let my boys unmolested For I am the last of the Beans arrested... “He’s your boy” “It’s a brute!” “He’s a Bean!” “It’s a mute!” “Och hold your son father, for he is no freak” “That it is blinkered wife. It’s got whiskers and teeth!” “He’s smiling!” “That’s scowling! And why’s it not howling? I swear it by god it’s laying there growling And hold it I’ll not! In its pit eyes I’ve seen that predators stare I swear it’s no Bean! But a wolf! Clothed in a babes pink skin! Imps have taken my innocent kin And swapped it with this... A goblin twin!” “He tore at the breast, saw jest in the wail And so was suckled straight from a pail. He came into the world callous and brawny Alexander she named him They nicknamed him Sawney” “He was kept in a pen most days and all night For ‘fire he could walk he would crawl for a fight He bit all his brothers and strangled his pets And fought with his parents and dismissed their threats” “At night with the family all fearful in bed He’d smash up the room as he filled them with dread He’d bark and growl and howl at the moon And chillingly bout with himself in the gloom” “His Pa was crofting away in Killwinning Aged 7 and Sawney wet his taste with a killing He was grabbed in the fields by the twins McTavish Who trussed him in twine to beat him most savage “You ugly Ned. Trespass, you dare! We’ll bat your head and burn your hair Well break both your arms, ten fingers and then We’ll beat you up for burning our den” “The teens took turns to seat him with brands From the fire his lit in McTavishes lands He gnawed ....