For, poor things, tho' they're weak an' wee,
An' no sae buirdly's you an' me,

I'm no the ane, wad dashin' gie them,
For aft I gang a prowlin' wi' them;
I ken, tho' leuks I wadna niffer,
I didna mak' mysel' to differ.

That's ae thing I'm no sib to man in,
I ne'er my neighbor's fauts am scannin',
An' neither let ae e'e nor ither

Sklent, wi' unkindness, on a brither;
Tho' in her gifts o' ilk degree

Nature hae been mair kind to me.-
Weel, as I said-or meant to say,
Ae night, a blink afore the day,
Twa three had slippit frae their hole,
Right yap, an' meant to hae a stroll.
Glad to fa' in wi' ane anither,

We a' crap up the stair thegither,

Whan there, ae wee bit hauf-starv'd elf -
Speel'd tremblin' to the amrie skelf:
Wae worth't! a dunt o' scowthert cheese
Stuck on a prong, he quaukin' sees,
An', tho' his teeth wi' terror chatter'd,
His eager chafts wi' slaiver water'd;
Cautious, an' slaw, he made a venture;
But I was dreadin' some mishanter,

1

An' stood abeigh': an' I was right,
I trou my Neighbors gat a fright;
The bait was gript, sneck gaed the fa'
An' snapt the tiny wight in twa.
The rest, aff scourin' fair an' clean,
Car'dna ae doit about their frien'.
Now, sin' the gaet o' traps I see,
I'se wad there's nane sal close on me.

BROWNIE.

Nor sal a trap do me a scaith While I hae e'en an' senses baith, An' sin' the dool an' pine we've dree't, We've learn'd a halsome lesson frae't. Lies the faut wi' oursel'? what than? We haena mense like cruel man ; Yet tho' he's paukier far than we, Whatreck, he gangs as aft aglee. Dangers, tho' gatherin' round his head, He recksna, till they're past remeid. See I nae better? what o' that?

An' skep na free-I'm but a Rat.

Guid sooth, our gumption's e'en but sma', But he has aften nane ava’:

An' tho' we stownlins eat, yet man

At theft an' robbing is na shan.

In ither kintries far awa

;

He think'st nae harm to rob ava:
Foul deed is sanction'd by fair law
An', for the greed o' lawless gain,
Wad tramp o'er heaps o' guiltless slain ;
His fellow man in bonds enslave,

An' crush the freedom o' the brave;
Reckless, that, in the doubtfu' strife,
Like us, he perils aft his life,

Wi' nae sic cause to plead for't either,
As keepin' saul an' skin thegither.
We eatna but whan want is threatin',
Man eats an' drinks for drink an' eatin' ;
Nae surfeit rises frae our meal,

We're ay fu' freck an' stark an' hale;
Keep vi'lence aff our head, we yield
To nae downdraught but perfect eild;
An' whan our wee bit race is run,
Sink down as saft's a settin' sun..

Had I the power to change at will,
I'd estlins be a Rattan still.
We follow Nature's law, while Man
Neglects her dictates a' he can ;

An', tho' some piddlin' fauts demean us,
There's scrimp a strae to draw between us.

The moral o' this tale is plain : Ne'er hazard life for greed o' gain ; Vain pleasure's fair deceits despise, As pain attends the path o' Vice.

VERSES

ON THE DEATH OF ROBERT BURNS.

EREWHILE, by Cartha's flowery banks
My humble Lyre I strung;

Youth's willing ear did tend the strain,

And listen'd while I

sung.

Now, when the varied note I change

To pity's tender lay;

Ah! let them now these strains regard,

That flow for Coila's sweetest Bard,
And mourn that Bard away.

Time saw the joyous spring succeed
To Winter's hoary storm;

And Echo wake the gladsome reed,

To hail her gentle form;

But, who shall now these notes prolong,

That Love delighted heard:

Echo no more shall cheer the plain,

Nor Beauty listen to the strain

Of Coila's sweetest Bard.