The Marriage
of Robin Redbreast and the Wren
Taken from the recitation of Mrs Begg, the
sister of Robert Burns. The poet was in the habit of telling the story
to the younger members of his father's household at Mount Oliphant and
Mrs Begg's impression was that he made it for their amusement. This
little nursery tale was published by Robert Chambers in his
"Popular Rhymes of Scotland.
Click here to listen to this in RealAudio read by Marilyn P Wright
THERE was an auld grey Poussie Baudrons,
(Pussy cat) and she gaed awa’ down by a water-side, and there she saw a
wee Robin Redbreast
happin’ on a brier; and Poussie Baudrons says: "Where’s tu gaun,
wee Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m
gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning."
And Poussie Baudrons says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you
see a bonny white ring round thy neck." But wee Robin says: "Na,
na! grey Poussie Baudrons; na, na! Ye worry’t the wee mousie but ye’se
no worry me." So wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to a fail fauld-dike
(Turf wall enclosing a field), and there he saw a grey greedy gled (Kite)
sitting. And grey greedy gled says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee
Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m gaun’ to the king to sing
him a sang this guid Yule morning." And grey greedy gled says:
"Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll let you see a bonny feather in my
wing." But wee Robin says: "Na, na! grey greedy gled; na, na! Ye
pookit (Pluck, strip) a’ the wee lintie (Linnet); but ye’se no pook
me." So wee Robin
flew an’ till be came to the cleuch o’ a craig (Face of a rock) and
there he saw slee Tod Lowrie (Mister Fox) sitting. And slee Tod Lowrie
says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says:
"I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule
morning." And slee Tod Lowrie says: "Come
here, wee Robin, and I’ll let ye see a bonny spot on the tap o’ my
tail" But wee Robin says: "Na, na! slee Tod Lowrie; Na, na! Ye
worry’t the wee lammie; but ye’se no worry me." So wee Robin flew
awa’ till he came to a bonny burn-side, and there he saw a wee callant
(Boy) sitting. And the wee callant says: "Where’s tu gaun, wee
Robin?" And wee Robin says: "I’m gaun awa’ to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And the wee callant says:
"Come here, wee Robin, and I’ll gie ye a wheen grand moolins Some
crumbs) out o’ my pooch." But wee Robin says: "Na, na! wee
callant; na, na! Ye speldert the gowdspink; but ye’se no spelder
me." So wee Robin flew awa’ till he came to the king, and there he
sat on a winnock sole (Window sill) and sang the king a bonny sang. And
the king says to the queen: "What’ll we gie to wee Robin for
singing us this bonny sang?" And the queen says to the king: "I
think we’ll gie him the wee wran to be his wife." So wee Robin and
the wee wran were married, and the king, and the queen, and a’ the court
danced at the waddin’; syne he flew awa’ hame to his ain water-side,
and happit on a brier.
