Our Lord forth raide, His foal's foot slade.

Our Lord down-lighted, His foal's foot righted.

Saying, "Flesh to flesh, blood to blood, And bane to bane."

In our Lord His name.

FROM POOR ROBIN'S ALMANAC (1733)

Observe which way the hedgehog builds her nest, To front the north, or south, or east, or west; For if 'tis true that common people say, The wind will blow the quite contrary way.

If by some secret art the hedgehog know, So long before, the way the wind will blow, She has an art which many a person lacks, That thinks himself fit to make our Almanacs.

Into woods where beasts can talk, I went out to take a walk, A rabbit sitting in a bush Peeped at me, and then cried, "Hush!"

Presently to me it ran, And its story thus began:--

"You have got a gun, I see, Perhaps you'll point it soon at me, And when I am shot, alack!

Pop me in your little sack.

When upon my fate I think I grow faint, my spirits sink."

"Pretty rabbit, do not eat Gardener's greens or farmer's wheat, If such thieving you begin, You must pay it with your skin; Honestly your living get, And you may be happy yet."

See the little rabbits, How they run and sweat; Some shoot 'em with a gun, Others catch 'em with a net.

THE HUNTING OF THE WREN

"Will ye go to the wood?" quo' Fozie Mozie; "Will ye go to the wood?" quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "Will ye go to the wood?" quo' Foslin 'ene; "Will ye go to the wood?" quo' brither and kin.

"What to do there?" quo' Fozie Mozie; "What to do there?" quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "What to do there?" quo' Foslin 'ene; "What to do there?" quo' brither and kin.

"To slay the wren," quo' Fozie Mozie; "To slay the wren," quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "To slay the wren," quo' Foslin 'ene; "To slay the wren," quo' brither and kin.

"What way will ye get her hame?" quo' Fozie Mozie; "What way will ye get her hame?" quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "What way will ye get her hame?" quo' Foslin 'ene; "What way will ye get her hame?" quo' brither and kin.

"We'll hire cart and horse," quo' Fozie Mozie; "We'll hire cart and horse," quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "We'll hire cart and horse," quo' Foslin 'ene; "We'll hire cart and horse," quo' brither and kin.

"What way will ye get her in?" quo' Fozie Mozie; "What way will ye get her in?" quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "What way will ye get her in?" quo' Foslin 'ene; "What way will ye get her in?" quo' brither and kin.

"We'll drive down the door cheeks," quo' Fozie Mozie; "We'll drive down the door cheeks," quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "We'll drive down the door cheeks," quo' Foslin 'ene; "We'll drive down the door cheeks," quo' brither and kin.

"I'll hae a wing," quo' Fozie Mozie; "I'll hae anither," quo' Johnnie Rednosie; "I'll hae a leg," quo' Foslin 'ene; "And I'll hae anither," quo' brither and kin.

"d.i.c.ky bird, d.i.c.ky bird, where are you going?"

"I'm going to the fields to see the men mowing."

"Don't you go there, or else you'll be shot, Baked in a pudding, and boiled in a pot."

"Who'll gu to th' wood?" says Robin a Bobbin, "Who'll gu to th' wood?" says Richard to Robbin, "Who'll gu to th' wood?" says Johnny alone, "Who'll gu to th' wood, lads, every one?"

"What muns do theer?" says Robbin a Bobbin, "What muns do theer?" says Richard to Robbin, "What muns do theer?" says Johnny alone, "What muns do theer, lads, every one?"

"Gu a-shooting tum-t.i.ts," says Robbin a Bobbin, "Gu a-shooting tum-t.i.ts," says Richard to Robbin, "Gu a-shooting tum-t.i.ts," says Johnny alone, "Gu a-shooting tum-t.i.ts, lads, every one."

ESs.e.x

The robin and the red-breast, The robin and the wren; If you take out o' their nest, You'll never thrive agen!

The robin and the red-breast, The martin and the swallow; If you touch one o' their eggs, Bad luck will surely follow!

ESs.e.x

A robin and a t.i.tter-wren Are G.o.d Almighty's c.o.c.k and hen; A martin and a swallow Are G.o.d Almighty's shirt and collar.

The robin red-breast and the wran Coost out about the parritch pan; And ere the robin got a spune, The wran she had the parritch dune.

Robin, robin red-breast, Laverock, and the wren, If you harry their nest You'll never thrive agen.

1600

What bird so sings, yet does so wail?

'Tis philomel, the nightingale; "Jugg! jugg! terue!" she cries, And hating earth to heaven she flies.

ESs.e.x

Eat birds, eat, and fear not, Here lie I and care not, But if my master should happen to come, With his short whip, and his long gun, You must fly and I must run.

I will sing you a song Of the days that are long, Of the woodc.o.c.k and the sparrow, Of the little dog that burnt his tail, And shall be whipt to-morrow.

DORSET RIME

Vlee away, blackie cap!

Don't ye hurt measter's c.r.a.p, While I vill my tatie trap, And lie down and teak a nap.

DEVONSHIRE CUCKOO RIME

March he sits upon his perch; April he soundeth his bell; May he sings both night and day; June he altereth his tune; And July--away to fly.

When the cuckoo comes to the bare thorn, Sell your cow and buy your corn; But when she comes to the full bit, Sell your corn and buy you sheep.