 | Puss in boots, and the Marquis of Carabas |  |
26
PLATE VI.
By nature generous, frank and gay,
And proudly brave was William Grey;
The village girls, that tripped along
The fragrant field at harvest tide,
Would pause amid their peasant song,
And blushing archly, glance aside,
When William's rich and mellow tone
Gave joyous echo to their own.
His chesnut curls and dark blue eyes,
His winning smile and manly form,
In many a soul more fond than wise,
Unwitting roused Love's summer storm;
But fancy free, and light of heart,
With gay disdain he shunned the dart.
“'Twill never do!” cried gallant Will,
“My kindly brothers bid me share
The profits of the ass and mill;
But no! I'll fortune seek elsewhere!”
Just then our roguish puss appeared,
Winking his eyes, so wise and weird,
And on the table gravely told,
Piece after piece, the glittering gold.
And proudly brave was William Grey;
The village girls, that tripped along
The fragrant field at harvest tide,
Would pause amid their peasant song,
And blushing archly, glance aside,
When William's rich and mellow tone
Gave joyous echo to their own.
His chesnut curls and dark blue eyes,
His winning smile and manly form,
In many a soul more fond than wise,
Unwitting roused Love's summer storm;
But fancy free, and light of heart,
With gay disdain he shunned the dart.
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“My kindly brothers bid me share
The profits of the ass and mill;
But no! I'll fortune seek elsewhere!”
Just then our roguish puss appeared,
Winking his eyes, so wise and weird,
And on the table gravely told,
Piece after piece, the glittering gold.
“And whence is this?” his master cried,
“'Twas fairly earned!” the puss replied,
“You stare! distrust's an odious thing;
Go, if you doubt me, ask the king!”
“'Twas fairly earned!” the puss replied,
“You stare! distrust's an odious thing;
Go, if you doubt me, ask the king!”
Amused, but touched to see his pride,
Will kindly drew him to his side;
Again he vowed to trust him still,
Received the gold, nor dreamed of ill.
Will kindly drew him to his side;
Again he vowed to trust him still,
Received the gold, nor dreamed of ill.
And now the cat did daily bring
His favorite birds to please the king;
You see him by the kitchen grate,
He stands in dignity and state;
Like Bonaparte, illustrious chief,
Who swept whole nations from his track,
And, little caring for their grief,
Stood with his hands behind his back.
Yet puss, instead of killing men,
The terror only was of rats,
And lives, recorded by our pen,
The great Napoleon of cats.
The cookmaid plucks the birds he brought,
While two of them the fool has caught;
The coachman enters, calls for beer,
And cries, “The king's a bore, my dear!
I have some business of my own
That calls me urgently to town,
And yet he orders me to take
Him and the princess to the lake!”
His favorite birds to please the king;
You see him by the kitchen grate,
He stands in dignity and state;
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Who swept whole nations from his track,
And, little caring for their grief,
Stood with his hands behind his back.
Yet puss, instead of killing men,
The terror only was of rats,
And lives, recorded by our pen,
The great Napoleon of cats.
The cookmaid plucks the birds he brought,
While two of them the fool has caught;
The coachman enters, calls for beer,
And cries, “The king's a bore, my dear!
I have some business of my own
That calls me urgently to town,
And yet he orders me to take
Him and the princess to the lake!”
Puss heard, and slyly slipped away;
He found his master blythe as May,
And begged him, strange as it might seem,
To come and bathe within the stream.
He found his master blythe as May,
And begged him, strange as it might seem,
To come and bathe within the stream.
Will followed, careless where he went,
To please his friend his sole intent.
To please his friend his sole intent.
| Puss in boots, and the Marquis of Carabas | |