THE ROBIN'S YULE SONG. THERE was once an old grey Pussy, and she went down by the water side, and there she saw a wee Robin Redbreast hopping on a brier; and Pussy says, "Where are you going, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says, "I'm going to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning." And Pussy says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see a bonny white ring round my neck." But wee Robin says, “No, no, grey Pussy; no, no! You worried the wee mousie; but you shall not worry me." So wee Robin flew away till he came to a turf wall, and there he saw a grey, greedy Hawk, sitting. And the grey, greedy Hawk, says, "Where are you going, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says, "I'm going to the King to sing him a song this fine Yule morning." THE ROBIN'S YULE SONG. And grey, greedy Hawk, says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see a bonny feather in my wing." But wee Robin says, “No, no, grey, greedy Hawk, no, no! You pecked at the wee linnet; but you shan't peck me." So wee Robin flew away till he came to the side of a rock, and there he saw a sly Fox sitting. And the sly Fox says, "Where are you going to, wee Robin ?" And wee Robin says, "I'm going to the King to sing him a song this fine Yule morning." And the sly Fox says, "Come, wee Robin, and I'll let you see a bonny spot on the top of my tail." But wee Robin says, "No, no, sly Fox, no, no! You worried the wee lamb; but you shan't worry me." So wee Robin flew away till he came to the side of a rivulet, and there he saw a wee boy sitting. And the wee Boy says, "Where are you going, wee Robin?" And But wee Robin says, "I'm going to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning." And the wee Boy says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll give you some little crumbs out of my pocket." wee Robin says, "No, no, wee Boy, no, no! You twisted the goldfinch's neck, but you shan't twist mine." So wee Robin flew away till he came to the King, and there he sat on a window-sill, and sang the King a bonny song. And the King says to the Queen, "What shall we give to the wee Robin for singing us this bonny song?" And the Queen says to the King, "I think we'll give him the wee Wren to be his wife." So wee Robin and the wee Wren were married, and the King, and Queen, and all the court danced at the wedding, and afterwards wee Robin flew away home to his own water side and hopped on a brier. |