65

MARCH AND APRIL.

LITTLE TOES.

THIS little pig went to market,

And this little pig stayed at home;
This little pig got roast beef,

And this little pig got none;

And this little pig went wee, wee, wee,
all the way hoine.

PRESTON.

PROUD Preston,
Poor people,

High church,

And low steeple.

MARCH AND APRIL.

MARCH said to April,

"I see three hoggs on yonder hill,
And if you'll lend me days three
I'll find a way to make them die.".
The first of them was wind and weet,
The second of them was snow and sleet,
The third of them was such a freeze

It froze the birds' feet to the trees.

When the three days were past and gane,
The silly puir hoggs came hirplin hame.

E

PLEASE to remember

The fifth of November,

The gunpowder treason and plot ;

I know no reason

Why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot..

MONY a frost, and mony a thowe,
Soon make mony a rotten yowe [ewe].

ROBIN REDBREAST'S TESTAMENT.

67

ROBIN REDBREAST'S TESTAMENT.

"GOOD day, now, bonnie Robin,

How long have you been here?"
"Oh, I have been bird about this bush.
This more than twenty year!

(Chorus)—Teetle ell ell, teetle ell eli,

Teetle ell ell, teetle ell ell,

Tee, tee, tee, tee, tee, tee, tee,

Tee, tee, tee, teeteetle eldie.

"But now I am the sickest bird
That ever sat on brier;

And I would make my testament,
Gudeman, if you would hear.

"Gar take this bonnie neb o' mine,
That picks upon the corn,

And give 't to the Duke o' Hamilton,

To be a hunting-horn.

Gar take these bonnie feathers o' mine,

The feathers o' my neb,

And give to the Lady o' Hamilton,

To fill a feather bed.

68 ROBIN REDBREAST'S TESTAMENT.

Gar take this good right leg o' mine,

And mend the brig o' Tay,

It will be a post and pillar good,
It will neither bow nor gae.

"And take this other leg o' mine,
And mend the brig o' Weir,
It will be a post and pillar good,
It will neither bow nor steer.

"Gar take these bonnie feathers o' mine,

The feathers o' my tail,

And give to the lads o' Hamilton

To be a barn-flail.

"And take these bonnie feathers o' mine,

The feathers o' my breast,

And give to any bonnie lad

That 'll bring to me a priest."

Now, in came my lady Wren,
With many a sigh and groan,
"Oh! what care I for a' the lads
If my wee lad be gone?"

Then Robin turned him round about,
E'en like a little king:

PUSSIE, PUSSIE BAUDRONS.

"Go, pack ye out at my chamber-door, Ye little cutty quean!"

Robin made his testament

Upon a coll of hay;

And by came a greedy gled,

And snapped him a' away.

69