"Cuddle Doon."

The bairnies cuddle doon at nicht
Wi' muckle faucht an' din.
"Oh! try and sleep, ye waukrife^* rogues,
Your fathers coinin' in."
They never heed a word . I speak,
I try to gie a froon;
But ave I hap^† them up, an' cry,
"Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon!"

Wee Jamie wi' the curly heid—
He aye sleeps next the was—
Bangs up and cries, "I want a piece"—
The rascal starts them a'.
I rin and fetch them pieces, drinks—
They stop a wee the soun'—
Then draw the blankets up, and cry,
"Noo, weanies, cuddle doon!"

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But ere five minutes gang, wee Rab
Cries oot, frae 'neath the claea,
"Mither, mak' Tam gie ower at ance:
He's kittlin'^† wi' his taes."
The mischief's in that Tam for tricks:
He'd bother half the toon.
But aye I hap them up, and cry,
" Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon! "

At length they hear their father's fit^*;
An', as he steeks^‡ the door,
They turn their faces to the wa',
While Tam pretends to snore.
"Ha'e a' the weans been gude?" he asks,
As he pits aff his shoon.
" The bairnies, John, are in their beds,
An' lang since cuddled doon."

An' just before we bed oorsels.
We look at oor wee lambs.
Tam has his airm roun' wee Rab's neck,
And Rab his airm roun' Tam's.
I lift wee Jamie up the bed,
An', as I straik^§ each croon,
I whisper till my heart fills up,
" Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon!"

The bairnies cuddle doon at nicht
Wi' mirth that's dear to me;
But sune the big warl's cark^¶ an' care
Will quaten^** doon their glee.
Yet, come what will to ilka ane,
May He who sits aboon
Aye whisper, though their pows^†† be bald,
"Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon!"

—Alexander Anderson.