obliquely to the good dame's queries, and perfectly intelligible to all who knew the poetic language and allegorical meaning which the adherents of the house of Stuart employed to convey tidings of importance to each other:
THE CUCKOO IS A GENTLE BIRD.
The Cuckoo is a gentle bird,
And gentle is his note,
And April it is pleasant,
While the sun is waxing hot;
For amid the green woods growing,
And the fresh flowers' blooming throng,
Forth comes the gentle Cuckoo
With his meek and modest song.
The eagle slays the little lambs
On Skiddaw high and hoar;
The hawk he covets carnage, and
The grey glede griens for gore:
The raven croaks aloud for blood,
Through spring and summer long;
While the bonnie Cuckoo gladdens us
With many a merry song.
The woodcock comes, and with the swan
Brings winter on his wing;
The groves cast off their garments green,
The small birds cease to sing:
The wild birds cease their singing, till
The lilies scent the earth;
But the Cuckoo scatters roses round
Whenever he goes forth.
The Cuckoo is a princely bird,
And we will wait awhile,
And welcome him with shout and song,
In the morn of green April;
We'll lay our thighs o'er our good steeds,
And gird our claymores on,
And chase away the hooded crows
That croak around the throne.
"I could not help glancing my eye on this curious and demure traveller; but the perfect simplicity of his looks baffled all the scrutiny which the mysterious import of his song induced me to make. Walter Graeme, one of the shepherds, sat down at his side, desirous of purchasing some of his commodities, but the frank mountaineer was repulsed in an attempt to dip his hands among the motley contents of the pack; and had it come to the arbitration of
