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