A speckled cat and a tame hare

    Eat at my hearthstone

    And sleep there；

    And both look up to me alone

    For learning and defence

    As I look up to Providence¹.

    I start out of my sleep to think

    Some day I may forget

    Their food and drink；

    Or， the house door left unshut，

    The hare may run till it‘s found

    The horn‘s sweet note and the tooth of the hound.

    I bear a burden that might well try

    Men that do all by rule，

    And what can I

    That am a wandering-witted fool

    But pray to God that He ease

    My great responsibilities？

    II

    I slept on my three-legged stool by the fire，

    The speckled cat slept on my knee；

    We never thought to enquire²

    Where the brown hare might be，

    And whether the door were shut.

    Who knows how she drank the wind

    Stretched up on two legs from the mat，

    Before she had settled her mind

    To drum with her heel and to leap？

    Had I but awakened³ from sleep

    And called her name， she had heard，

    It may be， and had not stirred，

    That now， it may be， has found

    The horn‘s sweet note and the tooth of the hound.