The Book of Ballads Edited by Bon Gaultier [i.e. W. E. Aytoun and Theodore Martin]. A New Edition, with Several New Ballads. Illustrated by Alfred Crowquill, Richard Doyle and John Leech |
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| 1. | FYTTE FIRST. |
| 2. |
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| 1. |
| 2. |
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 | The Book of Ballads |  |
FYTTE FIRST.
Have you heard of Philip Slingsby,
Slingsby of the manly chest;
How he slew the Snapping Turtle
In the regions of the West?
Slingsby of the manly chest;
How he slew the Snapping Turtle
In the regions of the West?
Every day the huge Cawana
Lifted up its monstrous jaws;
And it swallowed Langton Bennett,
And digested Rufus Dawes.
Lifted up its monstrous jaws;
And it swallowed Langton Bennett,
And digested Rufus Dawes.
30
Riled, I ween, was Philip Slingsby,
Their untimely deaths to hear;
For one author owed him money,
And the other loved him dear.
Their untimely deaths to hear;
For one author owed him money,
And the other loved him dear.
“Listen now, sagacious Tyler,
Whom the loafers all obey;
What reward will Congress give me,
If I take this pest away?”
Whom the loafers all obey;
What reward will Congress give me,
If I take this pest away?”
Then sagacious Tyler answered,
“You're the ring-tailed squealer! Less
Than a hundred heavy dollars
Won't be offered you, I guess!
“You're the ring-tailed squealer! Less
Than a hundred heavy dollars
Won't be offered you, I guess!
“And a lot of wooden nutmegs
In the bargain, too, we'll throw—
Only you jest fix the criter—
Won't you liquor ere you go?”
In the bargain, too, we'll throw—
Only you jest fix the criter—
Won't you liquor ere you go?”
Straightway leaped the valiant Slingsby
Into armour of Seville,
With a strong Arkansas toothpick
Screwed in every joint of steel.
Into armour of Seville,
With a strong Arkansas toothpick
Screwed in every joint of steel.
“Come thou with me, Cullen Bryant,
Come with me as squire, I pray;
Be the Homer of the battle
That I go to wage to-day.”
Come with me as squire, I pray;
Be the Homer of the battle
That I go to wage to-day.”
31
So they went along careering
With a loud and martial tramp,
Till they neared the Snapping Turtle
In the dreary Swindle Swamp.
With a loud and martial tramp,
Till they neared the Snapping Turtle
In the dreary Swindle Swamp.
But when Slingsby saw the water,
Somewhat pale, I ween, was he.
“If I come not back, dear Bryant,
Tell the tale to Melanie!
Somewhat pale, I ween, was he.
“If I come not back, dear Bryant,
Tell the tale to Melanie!
“Tell her that I died devoted,
Victim to a noble task!
Ha'n't you got a drop of brandy
In the bottom of your flask?”
Victim to a noble task!
Ha'n't you got a drop of brandy
In the bottom of your flask?”
As he spoke, an alligator
Swam across the sullen creek;
And the two Columbians started
When they heard the monster shriek:
Swam across the sullen creek;
And the two Columbians started
When they heard the monster shriek:
For a snout of huge dimensions
Rose above the waters high,
And took down the alligator,
As a trout takes down a fly.
Rose above the waters high,
And took down the alligator,
As a trout takes down a fly.
“'Tarnal death! the Snapping Turtle!”
Thus the squire in terror cried;
But the noble Slingsby straightway
Drew the toothpick from his side.
Thus the squire in terror cried;
But the noble Slingsby straightway
Drew the toothpick from his side.
32
“Fare thee well!” he cried, and dashing
Through the waters, strongly swam:
Meanwhile Cullen Bryant, watching,
Breathed a prayer and sucked a dram.
Through the waters, strongly swam:
Meanwhile Cullen Bryant, watching,
Breathed a prayer and sucked a dram.
Sudden from the slimy bottom
Was the snout again upreared,
With a snap as loud as thunder,—
And the Slingsby disappeared.
Was the snout again upreared,
With a snap as loud as thunder,—
And the Slingsby disappeared.
Like a mighty steam-ship foundering,
Down the monstrous vision sank;
And the ripple, slowly rolling,
Plashed and played upon the bank.
Down the monstrous vision sank;
And the ripple, slowly rolling,
Plashed and played upon the bank.
Still and stiller grew the water,
Hushed the canes within the brake;
There was but a kind of coughing
At the bottom of the lake.
Hushed the canes within the brake;
There was but a kind of coughing
At the bottom of the lake.
Bryant wept as loud and deeply
As a father for a son—
“He's a finished 'coon, is Slingsby,
And the brandy's nearly done!”
As a father for a son—
“He's a finished 'coon, is Slingsby,
And the brandy's nearly done!”
| The Book of Ballads | |