Poems and Songs Humorous, Serious and Satirical By Alexander Rodger; Edited, with Introduction and Notes by Robert Ford; New and Complete Edition |
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THE FAMILY CONTRAST. |
 | Poems and Songs Humorous, Serious and Satirical |  |
THE FAMILY CONTRAST.
O Sirs! was e'er sic difference seen
As 'twixt wee Will and Tam?
The ane's a perfect ettercap,
The ither's just a lamb;
Will greets and girns the lee-lang day,
And carps at a' he gets—
Wi' ither bairns he winna play,
But sits alane and frets.
As 'twixt wee Will and Tam?
The ane's a perfect ettercap,
The ither's just a lamb;
Will greets and girns the lee-lang day,
And carps at a' he gets—
Wi' ither bairns he winna play,
But sits alane and frets.
He flings his piece into the fire,
He yaumers at his brose,
And wae betide the luckless flee
That lights upon his nose!
He kicks the collie, cuffs the cat,
The hens and birds he stanes—
Na, little brat! he tak's a preen
And jags the very weans.
He yaumers at his brose,
And wae betide the luckless flee
That lights upon his nose!
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The hens and birds he stanes—
Na, little brat! he tak's a preen
And jags the very weans.
Wi' spite he tumbles aff his stool,
And there he sprawling lies,
And at his mither thraws his gab,
Gin she but bid him rise.
Is there in a' the world beside
Sae wild a wight as he?
Weel! gin the creature grow a man
I wonder what he'll be!
And there he sprawling lies,
And at his mither thraws his gab,
Gin she but bid him rise.
Is there in a' the world beside
Sae wild a wight as he?
Weel! gin the creature grow a man
I wonder what he'll be!
But Tammy's just as sweet a bairn
As ane could wish to see,
The smile aye plays around his lips,
While blythely blinks his e'e;
He never whimpers, greets, nor girns,
Even for a broken tae,
But rins and gets it buckled up,
Syne out again to play.
As ane could wish to see,
The smile aye plays around his lips,
While blythely blinks his e'e;
He never whimpers, greets, nor girns,
Even for a broken tae,
But rins and gets it buckled up,
Syne out again to play.
He claps the collie, dauts the cat,
Flings moolins to the doos,
To Bess and Bruckie rins for grass,
To cool their honest mou's;
He's kind to ilka living thing,
He winna hurt a flee,
And, gin he meet a beggar bairn,
His piece he'll freely gi'e.
Flings moolins to the doos,
To Bess and Bruckie rins for grass,
To cool their honest mou's;
He's kind to ilka living thing,
He winna hurt a flee,
And, gin he meet a beggar bairn,
His piece he'll freely gi'e.
He tries to please wee crabbit Will,
When in his cankriest mood,
He gi'es him a his taps and bools,
And tells him to be good.
Sae good a wean as oor wee Tam
It cheers the heart to see—
O! gin his brither were like him,
How happy might we be!
When in his cankriest mood,
He gi'es him a his taps and bools,
And tells him to be good.
Sae good a wean as oor wee Tam
It cheers the heart to see—
O! gin his brither were like him,
How happy might we be!
| Poems and Songs Humorous, Serious and Satirical | |