[00:00.75] To a Mouse by Robert Burns - Peter Capaldi[00:02.10]Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,[00:04.81]O, what a panic's in thy breastie![00:08.58]Thou need na start awa sae hasty,[00:12.07]Wi' bickering brattle![00:15.07]I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee[00:17.03]Wi' murd'ring pattle![00:20.88]I'm truly sorry man's dominion,[00:23.30]Has broken nature's social union,[00:26.28]An' justifies that ill opinion,[00:29.55]What makes thee startle[00:31.34]At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,[00:36.15]An' fellow-mortal![00:39.63]I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;[00:42.92]What then? poor beastie, thou maun live![00:47.01]A daimen icker in a thrave[00:49.73]'S a sma' request;[00:53.03]I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,[00:53.99]An' never miss't![00:56.77]Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin![00:59.97]It's silly wa's the win's are strewin![01:03.54]An' naething, now, to big a new ane,[01:05.56]O' foggage green![01:07.32]An' bleak December's winds ensuin,[01:11.01]Baith snell an' keen![01:15.78]Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,[01:18.19]An' weary winter comin fast,[01:21.34]An' cozie here, beneath the blast,[01:23.82]Thou thought to dwell -[01:25.12]Till crash! the cruel coulter past[01:27.61]Out thro' thy cell.[01:29.42]That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,[01:31.46]Has cost thee mony a weary nibble![01:34.27]Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,[01:36.33]But house or hald,[01:38.74]To thole the winter's sleety dribble,[01:41.30]An' cranreuch cauld![01:44.46]But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,[01:47.59]In proving foresight may be vain;[01:51.33]The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men[01:53.81]Gang aft agley,[01:56.64]An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,[01:59.82]For promis'd joy![02:03.17]Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me;[02:06.72]The present only toucheth thee:[02:11.00]But och! I backward cast my e'e,[02:15.72]On prospects dreaer![02:17.20]An' forward, tho' I canna see,[02:19.85]I guess an' fear!