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55
JOVE'S CHEAT.
When Juno crowned her brows with fire,
And Jove from heaven came down,
His godship, changed by base desire,
A cuckoo bird had grown:
With tuneful voice he sweetly sang,
While all the woodland round him rang,
Cuckoo, cuckoo! a tender strain
High Juno's heart might not disdain.
And Jove from heaven came down,
His godship, changed by base desire,
A cuckoo bird had grown:
With tuneful voice he sweetly sang,
While all the woodland round him rang,
Cuckoo, cuckoo! a tender strain
High Juno's heart might not disdain.
But as he fluttered to her breast,
Cuckoo, he cried in vain:
He might not there set up his nest;
She drove him back again:
For when he would repose him there,
And make those lily beds his lair,
Peaw, peaw! the peacock cried,
Whose many eyes the cheat descried.
Cuckoo, he cried in vain:
He might not there set up his nest;
She drove him back again:
For when he would repose him there,
And make those lily beds his lair,
Peaw, peaw! the peacock cried,
Whose many eyes the cheat descried.
But now fair Juno sits the queen
In yonder heaven of light,
Great Jove doth nurse a sullen spleen
Her softness to requite.
Forbear, he cries, to hear the song
Of that vile bird shall do thee wrong;
And take the peacock to thy side,
Whose many eyes shall be thy guide.
In yonder heaven of light,
Great Jove doth nurse a sullen spleen
Her softness to requite.
56
Of that vile bird shall do thee wrong;
And take the peacock to thy side,
Whose many eyes shall be thy guide.
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