When James Hogg was a boy, his parents were too poor to send him to
school. By some means, however, he learned to read; and after that he
loved nothing so much as a good book.
There were no libraries near him, and it was hard for him to get books.
But he was anxious to learn. Whenever he could buy or borrow a volume
of prose or verse he carried it with him until he had read it through.
While watching his flocks, he spent much of his time in reading. He
loved poetry and soon began to write poems of his own. These poems
were read and admired by many people.
The name of James Hogg became known all over Scotland. He was often
called the Ettrick Shepherd, because he was the keeper of sheep near
the Ettrick Water.
Many of his poems are still read and loved by children as well as by
grown up men and women. Here is one:--