A white candle out of ane coffer stall,1 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,
For very pity she began to greet;1
Syne comfort her with wordis honey sweet.

XXIII.

high;

Yet after joy oft-timis comis care,
And trouble after great prosperity:
Thus as they sat in all their jollity,
The spenser came with keyis in his hand,
Opened the door, and them at dinner fand. 3

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 levira 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 gert 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 7 as any kid; While would he let her run under the strae,8 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,

Syne by the cluks' there craftily can hing,

MORAL.

Till he was gane, her cheer was all the better.

XXX.

The Cat cummis, and to the Mouse has ee, What vailis then thy feast and royalty, With dreadful heart and tribulation? Therefore best thing in erd,' I say, for thee, Is bithness in heart, with small possession.

TALE OF THE PADDOCK AND THE MOUSE.

I.

Upon a time, as Æsop could report,
A little Mouse came till a river side;
She might not wade, her shankis were sae
short;

She could not swim, she had nae horse to ride:

Of very force behoved her to bide;
And to and fro beside that river deep
She ran, cryand with many piteous peep.

II.

Quod she, "Sister, let be your heavy cheer; Do my counsel, and I shall find the way 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.

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;

3 Hoarse. 4 Oats.

5 Which.

6 Freight.

5 Hanging low.

1 Over. 2 Dive.

6 Hoarse.

7 Sprawling.

8 Harsh, rough. 9 Physiognomy.

10 Falsehood, deception.