And out and laughed the popinjay,

A laugh of bitter scorn:

"A coortin' done in sic' a way,

It ought not to be borne!" -

Wi' that the doggie barked aloud,

And up and doon he ran,

And tugged and strained his chain o'gowd,

All for to bite the man. -

"O hush thee, gentle popinjay!

O hush thee, doggie dear!

There is a word I fain wad say,

It needeth he should hear!" -

Aye louder screamed that ladye fair

To drown her doggie's bark:

Ever the lover shouted mair

To make that ladye hark: -

Shrill and more shrill the popinjay

Upraised his angry squall:

I trow the doggie's voice that day

Was louder than them all! -

The serving-men and serving-maids

Sat by the kitchen fire:

They heard sic' a din the parlour within

As made them much admire. -

Out spake the boy in buttons

(I ween he wasna thin),

"Now wha will tae the parlour gae,

And stay this deadlie din?" -

And they have taen a kerchief,

Casted their kevils in,

For wha will tae the parlour gae,

And stay that deadlie din. -

When on that boy the kevil fell

To stay the fearsome noise,

"Gae in," they cried, "whate'er betide,

Thou prince of button-boys!" -

Syne, he has taen a supple cane

To swinge that dog sae fat:

The doggie yowled, the doggie howled

The louder aye for that. -

Syne, he has taen a mutton-bane-

The doggie ceased his noise,

And followed doon the kitchen stair

That prince of button-boys! -

Then sadly spake that ladye fair,

Wi' a frown upon her brow:

"O dearer to me is my sma' doggie,

Than a dozen sic' as thou! -

"Nae use, nae use for sighs and tears:

Nae use at all to fret:

Sin' ye've bided sae well for thirty years,

Ye may bide a wee langer yet!" -

Sadly, sadly he crossed the floor

And tirled at the pin:

Sadly went he through the door

Where sadly he cam' in. -

"O gin I had a popinjay

To fly abune my head,

To tell me what I ought to say,

I had by this been wed. -

"O gin I find anither ladye,"

He said wi' sighs and tears,

"I wot my coortin' sall not be

Anither thirty years -

"For gin I find a ladye gay,

Exactly to my taste,

I'll pop the question, aye or nay

In twenty years at maist." - -