The short’ning winter-day is near a close
The miry beasts retreating frae the pleugh
The black’ning trains o’ craws to their repose
The toil-worn Cotter frae his labor goes

We’ve just made some some lovely illustrations from a 19th Century volume by John Faed available through Capital Collections.  These pictures bring to life the story of Robert Burns’ poem, The Cotter’s Saturday Night. The cotter, a farm labourer, journeys home after a long and tiring week at work. He is welcomed back to his small home by his eager awaiting family to spend the evening by the fireside.

Use this delightful exhibition to expand on Nancy’s story of reciting this, her favourite Burns poem, to win a school competition.