A white candle out of ane coffer stall, Instead of spice, to gust their mouth withall. XIX. Thus made they merry, while they might nae mair, And when her sister in sic plight her fand, XXIII. "Why lie ye thus?" rise up, my sister dear, And, "Hail yule! hail!" they crièd upon Come to your meat, this peril is o'erpast.' high; Yet after joy oft-timis comis care, XX. They tarried not to wash, as I suppose, But on to gae, wha that might foremost win ; The burgess had ane hole, and in she goes, Her sister had nae hole to hide her in; To see that silly Mouse it was great sin, So desolate and will of ane good reid,4 For very fear she fell in swoon, near dead. XXI. But as God would, it fell a happy case, The spenser had nae leisure for to bide, Nouthir 5 to seek nor search, to scare nor chase, But on he went, and left the door upwide. The bold burgess his passing weel has spied, Out of her hole she came, and cried on high, The other answered her with heavy cheer, "I may not eat, sae sair I am aghast : I had levir2 thir forty dayis fast, With water kail,3 or gnaw beanis or peas, Than all your feast in this dread and disease." XXIV. With fair treaty, yet she gert4 her uprise; To the board they went and together sat ; And scantly had they drunken anes or twice, When in come Gib-Hunter, our jolly cat, And bad God-speid. The burgess up with that, And till her hole she fled as fire off flint ; Badrons 5 the other by the back has hint." XXV. Frae foot to foot he cast her to and frae, While up, while down, as cant? as any kid; While would he let her run under the strae, While would he wink and play with her, buk-hid: 9 Thus to the silly Mouse great pain he did; While at the last, through fortune good and hap, "How, fair sister! cry peip, where'er ye be?" Betwixt ane board and the wall she crap. With that she took her leave, and forth O wanton man! that usis for to feed Quod she, "Sister, let be your heavy cheer; TALE OF THE PADDOCK AND Do my counsel, and I shall find the way THE MOUSE. I. Upon a time, as Æsop could report, She could not swim, she had nae horse to ride: Of very force behoved her to bide; II. Withouten horse, bridge, boat, or yet gallay, To bring you oure safely-be not affeard! And not wetand the campis1 of your beard." V. "I have great wonder," quoth the silly Mouse, "How can thou float without feather or fin? This river is so deep and dangerous, Methink that thou should drowned be therein. Tell me, therefore, what faculty or gin "Help oure,' help oure," this silly Mouse Thou has to bring thee oure this water?' gan cry, "For Goddis love, some body oure this bryme." With that a Paddock in the water by Put up her head, and on the bank gan climb; Which by nature could dook, and gaily swim. Then Thus to declare the Paddock soon began. VI. "With my two feet," quod she, "lukkin and braid,3 Instead of oars, I row the stream full still; With voice full rauk,3 she said on this And though the brime be perilous to wade, manner: Both to and fro I row at my ain will. "Good morn, Sir Mouse, what is your 1 may not drown, for why?-my open gill VIII. "For clerkis sayis the inclination To good or evil, as nature will apply: morum."2 IX. "Nae," quoth the Toad, "that proverb is not true; For fair things oft-times are fundin faikyn.3 The blae-berries, though they be sad of hue, XII. "Thou wait," quoth she, "a body that To help themself should many wayis cast: "To prove that play it were right perilous. XIII. "Should I be bound and fast where I am free, In hope of help, nae then I schrew us baith; Are gathered up when primrose is for- For I might lose both life and liberty. saken; The face may fail to be the heartis taken. X. "Though I unhalesome be to look upon, I am nae causer of that great beauty. XI. "Of some the face may be full flourishing, If it were so, who should amend the skaith? But hurt or harm." "In faith," quoth she, XIV. She goikit up, and to the heaven gan cry: This oath was made, the Mouse but7 per- The false ingyne of this foul trappald Took thread and bound her leg, as she XV. Then foot for foot they lap into the brym "And by what craft thou gar? me under- But in their minds they were right different: stand The Mouse thought of nothing but for to swim, I Knows. 2 The murder oath. 3 Without. 6 Cunning wily. 4 Flood. 5 Do it. 7 Make. 6 Locked squintingly. 7 Without. 8 Design. 9 Deceitful toad. 10 Designs, intentions. But hurt or harm should ferried be and He took his flight, and oure the fieldis free;" flaw :7 And when she saw there was but do or die, If this be true, speir8 ye at them that saw. With all her might she forced her to swim, And pressed upon the Toaddis back to Fechtand thusgait 4 the Gled sat on a twist, 5 And to this wretched battle took good heed; And with ane wisk, or any of them wist, He claught his cluke? betwixt them in the thread, THE MORAL. Syne to the land he flew with them good Brother if thou be wise, I reid 1 thee flee, speed, Than match thee with a thrawart feigned |