“To a Mouse” by Robert Burns
The title of Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a direct allusion to the Robert Burns poem found below.
Original Scots Dialect
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!
Simplified English
Tiny, sleek, cowering, nervous beast,
Why is there such panic in your breast?
You need not run away so quickly,
With a noisy scamper!
I would hate to run and chase after you
With a murderous plow!
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'm truly sorry Man's territory
Has broken Nature's social contract,
And justifies that bad opinion
Which makes you startle,
At me, your poor, earth-born companion
And 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!
I have no doubt you sometimes steal;
Who cares? Poor beast, you too must live!
A ear of corn in a shuck is
A small request:
It will bless me to know such a loss;
I'll never miss it!
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!
Your tiny house lies in a ruin,
Its fragile walls the winds are scattering!
And nothing's left to build a new one
Of mosses green
And bleak December's winds, ensuing,
Blow fast and strong!
Questions
Stanza 1
To whom (or what) is the speaker talking?
What is the speaker’s tone? What details cause you to come to this
conclusion?
Stanza 2
For what does the speaker apologize?
What does the speaker feel that he and the mouse have in common?
Stanza 3
What does the mouse have to do to survive?
How does the speaker feel about this? What details cause you to
come to this conclusion?
Stanza 4
What external conflict does the mouse face?
How is this conflict worsened by the natural conditions of the
season?
Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast,
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.
You saw your fields laid bare and waste
And weary winter is coming fast,
And cozy here, beneath the blast,
You thought to live,
Till crash! the cruel iron plough passed
Straight through your home!
Stanzas 5 and 6
What were the mouse’s expectations for the winter?
How did the speaker’s actions alter these expectations?
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!
That little heap of leaves and stubble
Has cost you many a weary nibble!
Now you're turned out, for all your trouble,
Without house and hold,
To endure the winter's icy dribble
And frosty cold!
But Mousie, thou are 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!
But mouse, you are not alone
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid plans of Mice and Men
Often go unexpectedly,
And leave us only grief and pain,
For promised 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!
Still, you're blessed compared with me!
Only present dangers make you flee:
But, ugh! Behind me I can see
Dreary prospects!
And though, I cannot see the future,
I guess and fear!
Stanza 7
What is the main idea conveyed in this stanza? (This is the theme of
the poem.)
How is this same theme illustrated in Of Mice and Men?
Stanza 8
Why does the speaker think the mouse is blessed compared to him?