Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/The Widow Malone's Pig


 * The Widow Malone had a beautiful pig;
 * No one had its equal from Cork to Killamey:
 * And Paddy McCabe had his eye on the same;
 * A roguish chap he, full of mischief and blarney.


 * This beautiful pig fairly haunted his dreams;
 * And he swore, that, unless he was sadly mistaken,
 * He would feast off his ribs upon St. Patrick's Day,
 * And even the widow should not "save his bacon."


 * One morning the widow went out to the pen,
 * Pail in hand, with the first streak of dawn,
 * When, lo! it was vacant; no piggy was there:
 * The sweet little creature was gone!


 * Straightway to the priest for assistance she went,
 * Who asked her the cause of her grief.
 * "Och! your riverince," says she, " 'tis me pig
 * that is gone! And I think Pat McCabe is the thief."


 * Soon after Pat came to the priest to "confess,
 * And told of his theft from the Widow Malone.
 * "Take it back," says the priest, " without any delay!"
 * "Sure I've ate it, your riverince!" says Pat with a groan.




 * "Ah, Pat!" says the priest, " at the great 'judgment-day,'
 * When you meet the widow and pig face to face,
 * What excuse will you give for your terrible sin?
 * I'm thinking you'll go to a very bad place."


 * "Will the widdy and pig both be there?" says Pat.
 * "To be sure," says the priest, "to accuse you
 * of sin." "Will, thin,"replies Paddy," I'll say,'Here's your pig!
 * By St. Patrick, I'll niver molist him agin!'"