To a Mouse

"To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough" (also known as just "To a Mouse") is a poem written by Robert Burns. The poem was written in Scots in 1785. "To a Mouse" is about a young man who accidentally overturns the soil of a mouse’s nest.

John Steinbeck named his novella Of Mice and Men after a line in the seventh stanza of the poem. This line is: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley" ("The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go often askew").

The poem

Burns' original

Standard English translation

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty,          Wi’ bickerin brattle! I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee          Wi’ murd’ring pattle! I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, An’ justifies that ill opinion,          Which makes thee startle, At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,          An’ fellow-mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! A daimen-icker in a thrave          ’S a sma’ request: I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,          An’ never miss ’t! Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin! An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,          O’ foggage green! An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,          Baith snell an’ keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, An’ weary Winter comin fast, An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,          Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past          Out thro’ thy cell. That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,          But house or hald, To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,          An’ cranreuch cauld! But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men          Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,          For promis’d joy! Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me! The present only toucheth thee: But Och! I backward cast my e’e,          On prospects drear! An’ forward tho’ I canna see,          I guess an’ fear!

Small, crafty, cowering, timorous little beast, Oh, what a panic is in your breast! You need not start away so hasty With your hurrying scamper I would be loath to run and chase you, With murdering plough-staff. I'm truly sorry man's dominion Has broken Nature's social union, And justifies that ill opinion Which makes you startle At me, your poor, earth born companion And fellow mortal! I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal; What then? Poor little beast, you must live! An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves Is a small request; I will get a blessing with what is left, And never miss it. Your small house, too, in ruin! Its feeble walls the winds are scattering! And nothing now, to build a new one, Of coarse grass green! And bleak December's winds coming, Both bitter and piercing! You saw the fields laid bare and wasted, And weary winter coming fast, And cozy here, beneath the blast, You thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel plough passed Out through your cell. That small bit heap of leaves and stubble, Has cost you many a weary nibble! Now you are turned out, for all your trouble, Without house or holding, To endure the winter's sleety dribble, And hoar-frost cold. But little Mouse, you are not alone, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often askew, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy! Still you are blessed, compared with me! The present only touches you: But oh! I backward cast my eye, On prospects dreary! And forward, though I cannot see, I guess and fear!