Page:The poetical works of Robert Burns.djvu/45

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POEMS.

THE TWA DOGS.

A TALE.

'Twas in that place o' Scotland's isle,That bears the name o' Auld King Coil,Upon a bonie day in June,When wearing thro' the afternoon,Twa dogs, that were na thrang at hame,Forgather'd ance upon a time.The first I'll name, they ca'd him Cæsar,Was keepit for his Honour's pleasure:His hair, his size, his mouth, his lugs,Shew'd he was nane o' Scotland's dogs;But whalpet some place far abroad,Whare sailors gang to fish for Cod.His locked, letter'd, braw brass collar,Shew'd him the gentleman and scholar;But tho' he was o' high degree,The fient a pride nae pride had he;But wad hae spent an hour caressin,Ev'n wi' a tinkler-gipsey's messin.At kirk or market, mill or smiddie,Nae tawted tyke, tho' e'er sae duddie,But he wad stan't, as glad to see him,An' stroan't on stanes and hillocks wi' him.The tither was a ploughman's collie,A rhyming, ranting, raving billie,Wha for his friend and comrade had him,An' in his freaks had Luath ca'd him,After some dog in Highland sang,Was made lang syne, Lord knows how lang.He was a gash an' faithfu' tyke,As ever lap a sheugh or dike.His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face,Ay gat him friends in ilka place;His breast was white, his touzie backWeel clad wi' coat o' glossy black;His gawcie tail, wi' upward curl,Hung owre his hurdies wi' a swirl.
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