But the stick wouldn’t break, so back he went to the house.
“Mither,” said he, “coo won’t hold still, stick won’t break, wee, wee Mannie can’t beat big, big coo.”
“Hout!” said his mother, “go to the butcher and bid him kill coo.”
So off he went to the butcher, and said:
“Butcher, kill the big, big coo,
She’ll gi’e us no more milk noo.”
But the butcher wouldn’t kill the coo without a silver penny, so back the Mannie went to the house. “Mither,” said he, “coo won’t hold still, stick won’t break, butcher won’t kill without a silver penny, and wee, wee Mannie can’t milk big, big coo.”
“Well,” said his mother, “go to the coo and tell her there’s a weary, weary lady with long yellow hair weeping for a cup o’ milk.”
So off he went and told the coo, but she wouldn’t hold still, so back he went and told his mother.
“Well,” said she, “tell the coo there’s a fine, fine laddie from the wars sitting by the weary, weary lady with golden hair, and she weeping for a sup o’ milk.”