To a Mouse

On Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough, November, 1785

MODERN VERSION

Little, artful, cowering, timid beast,

Oh, what a panic is in your heart!

You need not start away so hasty

With bickering prattle!

I would be loath to run and chase you,

With murdering scraper

I’m truly sorry man’s dominion

Has broken Nature’s social union,

And justifies that ill opinion

Which makes you startle

At me, your poor, earth born companion

And fellow mortal!

I doubt not, sometimes, that you may steal;

What then? Poor beast, you must live!

An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves

Is a small request;

I will get a blessing with what is left,

And never miss it.

 Your small house, too, in ruin!

Its feeble walls the winds are scattering!

And nothing now, to build a new one,

Of coarse green foliage!

And bleak December’s winds coming,

Both bitter and piercing!

You saw the fields laid bare and empty,

And weary winter coming fast,

And cozy here, beneath the blast,

You thought to dwell,

Till crash! The cruel plough passed

Out through your cell.

That small heap of leaves and stubble,

Has cost you many a weary nibble!

Now you are turned out, for all your trouble,

Without house or holding,

To endure the winter’s sleety dribble,

And hoar-frost cold.

But Mouse, you are not alone,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes of mice and men

Go often askew,

And leave us nothing but grief and pain,

For promised joy!

Still you are blessed, compared with me!

The present only touches you:

But oh! I backward cast my eye,

On prospects dreary!

And forward, though I cannot see,

I guess and fear!

SCOTS VERSION

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie, 

O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! 

Thou need na start awa sae hasty, 

Wi’ bickerin brattle! 

I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee 

Wi’ murd’ring pattle! 

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion 

Has broken Nature’s social union, 

An’ justifies that ill opinion, 

Which makes thee startle, 

At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, 

An’ fellow-mortal! 

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; 

What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! 

A daimen-icker in a thrave 

’S a sma’ request: 

I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave, 

An’ never miss ’t!  

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! 

It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin! 

An’ naething, now, to big a new ane, 

O’ foggage green! 

An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin, 

Baith snell an’ keen! 

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, 

An’ weary Winter comin fast, 

An’ cozie here, beneath the blast, 

Thou thought to dwell, 

Till crash! the cruel coulter past 

Out thro’ thy cell. 

That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble 

Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! 

Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble, 

But house or hald, 

To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble, 

An’ cranreuch cauld! 

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, 

In proving foresight may be vain: 

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men 

Gang aft agley, 

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, 

For promis’d joy!  

Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me! 

The present only toucheth thee: 

But Och! I backward cast my e’e, 

On prospects drear! 

An’ forward tho’ I canna see, 

I guess an’ fear!