American Toby Jug Museum 

Tam o'Shanter toby jug produced in Staffordshire, England, circa 1970. Tam o' Shanter is a narrative poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1790. The poem describes the habits of Tam, a farmer who often gets drunk with his friends in a public house in the Scottish town of Ayr, and his thoughtless ways, specifically towards his wife, who is waiting at home for him, angry. After one such late-night revel, Tam rides home on his horse Meg while a storm is brewing. On the way he sees the local haunted church lit up, with witches and warlocks dancing and the Devil playing the bagpipes. Tam sits still upon his horse watching. Suddenly the lights go out, the music and dancing stops, and many of the creatures lunge after Tam. Tam spurs Meg to turn and flee and drives the horse on towards the River Doon as the creatures dare not cross a running stream. The creatures give chase and the witches come so close to catching Tam and Meg that they pull Meg's tail off just as she reaches the Brig o' Doon.