And that the forests sure he would Devour up by degrees: For houses and churches were to him geese and turkies; He ate all and left none behind, But some stones, dear Jack, that he could not crack, Which on the hills you will find. Hard by a furious knight there dwelt ; O save us all, More of More-hall, Thou peerless knight of these woods; Do but slay this dragon, who won't leave us a rag on, We'll give thee all our goods. This being done, he did engage With spikes all about, not within but without, Of steel so sharp and strong, Both behind and before, arms, legs, and all o'er, Some five or six inches long. Had you but seen him in this dress, He frighted all, cats, dogs, and all, Each cow, each horse, and each hog: To see this fight all people then Got up on trees and houses, On churches some, and chimneys too; Not to spoil their hose. As soon as he rose, He drank, by the tale, six pots of ale It is not strength that always wins, Which made our cunning champion Creep down into a well, Where he did think this dragon would drink, And so he did in truth; And as he stoop'd low, he rose up and cried, boh. And kick'd him in the mouth. Oh, quoth the dragon with a deep sigh, Out of his throat of leather: More of More-hall, O thou rascal, Would I had seen thee never; With the thing at thy foot thou hast prick'd my throat, And I'm quite undone for ever. Murder, murder, the dragon cried, Alack, alack, for grief; Had you but miss'd that place, you could Have done me no mischief. Then his head he shaked, trembled and quaked, And down he laid and cried ; First on one knee, then on back tumbled he; Old Ballad CXLVII THE UNGRATEFUL CUPID At dead of night, when mortals lose Then chafed his little hands in mine, 'Are these your thanks, ungrateful child, All's well; my bow's unhurt, I see; But what a wretch I've made of thee!' 7. Hughes CXLVIII THE KING OF THE CROCODILES Now, woman, why without your veil ? Oh, I have lost my darling boy, In whom my soul had all its joy; And I for sorrow have torn my veil, And sorrow hath made my very heart pale. 'Oh, I have lost my darling child, 'He did not venture in to swim, He only stoop'd to drink at the brim ; * Now take me in your boat, I pray, 'He reigns not now in Crocodilople, "Like a dervise there he passes his days, 'The King of the Crocodiles never does wrong, He has no tail so stiff and strong, He has no tail to strike and slay, But he has ears to hear what I say. 'And to the King I will complain The man replied, 'No, woman, no; |