A ram, the father of a flock,
Wha'd mony winters stood the shock
Of northern winds and driving snaw,
Leading his family in a raw
Throw wreaths that clad the laigher field
And drave them frae the lowner bield,
To crop, contented, frozen fare
With honesty on hills blown bare,
This ram of upright hardy spirit,
Was really a horn'd head of merit.
Unlike him was a neighbouring goat,
A mean saul'd, cheating, thieving sot;
That tho' possest of rocks the prime,
Crown'd with fresh herbs and rowth of thime,
Yet slave to pilfering, his delight
Was to break gardens ilka night,
And round him steal, and aft destroy
Even things he never could enjoy,
The pleasure of a dirty mind
That is sae viciously inclin'd.
UPON a borrowing-day, when sleet
Made twinters and hog-wedders bleet
And quake with cauld, behind a ruck
Met honest Toop and snaking Buck.
Frae chin to tail clad with thick hair,
He bad defiance to thin air.
But trusty Toop his fleece had riven
When he amang the birns was driven.
Half naked the brave leader stood,
His look compos'd, unmov'd his mood.
When thus the goat (that had tint a'
His credit baith with great and sma',
Shunn'd by them as a pest, wad fain
New friendship with this worthy gain):
"Ram, say, shall I give you a part
Of mine, I'll do't with all my heart,
'Tis yet a lang cauld month to Beltan,
And ye've a very raggit kelt on.
Accept, I pray, what I can spare,
To clout your doublet with my hair."
"No," says the ram, "tho' my coat's torn,
Yet ken, thou worthless, that I scorn
To be oblig'd at any price
To sic as you, whose friendship's vice.
I'd have less favour frae the best,
Clad in a hatefu' hairy vest
Bestow'd by thee, than as I now
Stand but ill drest in native woo.
Boons frae the generous make ane smile,
Frae miscreants make receivers vile."
A ram, the faither of a flock,
Wha'd monie winters stuid the shock
O northren winds an drivin snaw,
Leadin his faimily in a raw
Throwe wreaths that clad the laicher field
An drave thaim frae the lawner bield,
Ti crap contented frozent fare,
Wi honesty on hills blawn bare,
This ram o upricht hardy speerit,
Wes really a horned heid o meerit.
Unlike him wes a neibourin got,
A mean sauled, cheatin, thievin sot;
That tho possest o rocks the prime,
Crooned wi fresh yerbs an rowth o thime,
Yet sclave tae pilfrin. His delicht
Wes ti brek gairdens ilka nicht,
An roond him steal, an aft destroy
Even things he niver coud enjoy,
The pleisur of a dirty mind
That is sae veeciously inclined.
Upon a borraein day, whan sleet
Made twinters an hog-wedders bleet
An quauk wi cauld, ahint a ruck
Met honest Toop an snaikin Buck.
Frae chin tae tail clad wi thick hair,
He bad defiance tae thin air.
But trusty Toop his fleesh haed riven
Whan he amang the birns wes driven.
Hauf nakit the brave leader stuid,
His leuk composed, unmeuved his muid.
Whan thus the gait (that haed tint aw
His credit baith wi gret an smaw,
Shunned bi thaim as a pest, wad fain
New freenship wi this worthy gain):
"Ram, say, sall Ah gie ye a pairt
O mine, Ah'll dae't wi aw ma hairt.
'Tis yet a lang cauld month tae Beltan,
An ye've a verra raggit kelt on.
Accept, Ah pray, what Ah can spare,
Ti cloot yer dooblet wi ma hair."
"Na," says the ram, "tho ma coat's torn,
Yet ken, thou worthless, that Ah scorn
Ti be obleeged at any price
Tae sic as ye, whase freenship's vice.
Ah'd have less favor frae the best,
Clad in a hatefu hairy vest
Bestowed bi thee, than as Ah noo
Stan but ill-drest in native woo.
Boons frae the generous mek ane smile,
Frae miscreants mek receivers vile."