Song of the Dogs and Wolves

I.

How fierce the tempest blows —
The winter's cruel twin:

The chill and freezing snows
To reign outside begin.

What heed we who enjoy
The kitchen corner snug?

Where masters kind supply
Straw and a cosy rug.

For food we have no care;

When masters gorge their meat,
The remnants are our share, i
Which we may freely eat.
Full oft we feel the log
That hurts, but then, we own
That nothing harms a dog —
A fact too widely known!
When' master's wrath is o'er,
And he has ceased to beat
Grateful we crawl before
And lick his gracious feet.
II.
How fierce the tempest blows —
The winter's cruel twins:
Chill rain and freezing snows
To reign outside begin.
Empty the country is,
Our home this barren space;
Not e'en a bush affords
To us a hiding place. -g :
Without 'tis bitter cold,
And hunger fierce within;
Relentlessly pursue
These foes of ours, born twin.
Besides those foes, a third —
The loaded gun— we dread,
When the milk-white snow
Is stained with bloody red.
We freeze, we starve, we feel ,
The shot wounds in our breast;
Hard is our lot, but yet
With freedom we are blest!