Tales of Laughter — Wee Robin's Yule-Song
_Wee Robin’s Yule-Song_ There was an auld gray Pussie Baudrons, and she gaed awa’ down by a waterside, and there she saw a Wee Robin Redbreast hoppin’ on a brier;
and Pussie Baudrons says: “Where’s tu gaun, Wee Robin?
” And Wee Robin says: “I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning.
” And Pussie Baudrons says: “Come here, Wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny white ring round my neck.
” But Wee Robin says: “Na, na!
gray Poussie Baudrons, na, na!
Ye worry’t the wee mousie, but ye’se no worry me.
” So Wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to a fail fauld-dike (_turf wall_), and there he saw a gray greedy gled (_hawk_) sitting.
And gray greedy gled says: “Where’s tu gaun, Wee Robin?
” And Wee Robin says: “I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning.
” And gray greedy gled says: “Come here, Wee Robin, and I’ll let ye see a bonny feather in my wing.
” But Wee Robin says: “Na, na!
gray greedy gled, na, na!
Ye pookit (_pecked_) a’ the wee lintie, but ye’se no pook me.
” So Wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to the cleuch (_hollow_) o’ a craig, and there he saw slee Tod Lowrie (_sly fox_) sitting.
And slee Tod Lowrie says: “Where’s tu gaun, Wee Robin?
” And Wee Robin says: “I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning.
” And slee Tod Lowrie says: “Come here, Wee Robin, and I’ll let ye see a bonny spot on the tap o’ my tail.
” But Wee Robin says: “Na, na!
slee Tod Lowrie, na, na!
Ye worry’t the wee lammie, but ye’se no worry me.
” So Wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to a bonny burn-side, and there he saw a wee callant sitting.
And the wee callant says: “Where’s tu gaun, Wee Robin?
” And Wee Robin says: “I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning.
” And the wee callant says: “Come here, Wee Robin, and I’ll gie ye a wheen grand moolins (_crumbs_) out o’ my pooch.
” But Wee Robin says: “Na, na!
wee callant, na, na!
Ye speldert (_knocked down_) the gowdspink (_goldfinch_), but ye’se no spelder me.
” So Wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to the king; and there he sat on a winnock sole (_plowshare_), and sang the king a bonny sang.
And the king says to the queen: “What’ll we gie to Wee Robin for singing us this bonny sang?
” And the queen says to the king: “I think we’ll gie him the wee wran to be his wife.
” So Wee Robin and the wee wran were married, and the king, and the queen, and a’ the court danced at the waddin’;
syne he flew awa’ home to his ain waterside, and hoppit on a brier.
