University of Virginia Library


64

GAME TURNED SPORTSMEN.

A stag, fox, and hare, once agreed, it is said,
To kill the gamekeeper to eat,
So they aim'd an old fowling-piece strait at his head,
But when they expected to find he was dead,
They saw he was still on his feet.
The hare in affright ran away to the wood,
And hid herself far in the shade;
The others in silent astonishment stood,
While the gamekeeper laughing as hard as he could,
No symptom of terror betray'd.

65

At last, said the fox, “there's one thing we forgot,
“Which I know to be excellent stuff;
“If we had but been furnish'd with powder and shot,
“I'm certain we should not have fail'd in our plot;”
And the stag replied, “likely enough.”
“And yet after all,” she continued to say,
“I'm glad we are foil'd in our plan;
“We'll do what we can to keep out of his way,
“But I very much doubt, if we lawfully may
“Revenge ourselves thus upon man.”
J.