: THE CAT 



Auld Bawthren's Song 



The gudewife birrs wi' the wheel a* day, 



Three threeds an' a thrum; 

 A walth o' wark, an* sma' time for play, 

 Wi' the lint sae white and worset grey 

 Work hard she maun, while sing I may, 



Three threeds an* a thrum. 



The gudewife rises frae out her bed, 

 Wi* her cozy nicht-mutch round her head, 

 To steer the fire to a blaze sae red, 

 An' her feet I rub wi' welcome glad. 



I daunder round her wi' blythesome birr, 

 An* rub on her legs my sleek warm fur; 

 Wi' sweeps o' my tail I welcome her, 

 An' round her rin, wherever she stir. 



The men-folk's time for rest is sma', 

 They're out in the sunshine, an* out in the snaw, 

 Tho' cauld winds whistle, or rain should fa', 

 I, in the ingle, dae nought ava\ 



I like the gudeman, but loe the wife, 

 Days mony they've seen o' leil and strife; 

 O' sorrow human hours are rife; 

 Their haud's been mine a' the days o' my life. 



