The Bairnies Cuddle Doon

The bairnies cuddle doon at nicht
Wi, muckle faught an, din
Oh try and sleep, ye waukrife rogues
Your faither’s comin’ in
They never heed a word I speak
I try to gie a froon
Buy aye I hap them up an’ cry
Oh, bairnies cuddle doon

Wee Jamie wi’ the curly heid
He aye sleeps next the wa
Bangs up an’ cries,”I want a piece”
The rascal starts them a’
I rinan’ fetch them pieces, drinks
They stop awe the soun’,
Then draw the blankets up an’ cry
“Noo, weanies, cuddle doon”

But ere five minutes gang wee Rab
Cries out, frae neath the claes
“Mither, mak’ Tam gie ower at once
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 faither’s fit
An’ as he steeks the door
They turn their faces to the wa’
While Tam pretends to snore
“Hae a’ the weans been gude?” he asks
As he pits off his shoon
“The bairnies, John, are in their beds
An’ land since cuddled doon”

An’ just afore we bed oorsel’s
We look at oor wee lambs
Tam has his airm roun’ wee Rab’s neck
And Rab his airm round 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 soon the big warl’s cark an’ care
Will quaten doon their flee
Yet come what will to ilka ane
May he wha rules aboon
Aye whisper though their pows be bald
“Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon