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 | The harp and plow |  |
A greedy pike was darting by,
With hungry jaw and eager eye;
He saw the game on which to sup,
And in a moment snatched it up.
Nick with the barb-inflicting twitch
Took in his gills a cruel stitch;
And as he seized the rav'nous pike,
In tone of voice not much unlike
The sound of saw-mill in full motion,
He thus accused him of devotion:
With hungry jaw and eager eye;
He saw the game on which to sup,
And in a moment snatched it up.
Nick with the barb-inflicting twitch
Took in his gills a cruel stitch;
And as he seized the rav'nous pike,
In tone of voice not much unlike
The sound of saw-mill in full motion,
He thus accused him of devotion:
'Give us your hand, my old flint-skinner!
Don't feign surprise, my hopeful sinner!
We 've partners been these many years,
And now we'll settle your arrears.
Your credit is so poor of late
Not even I can longer wait;
Besides, you 've aped me in my power,
By seeking whom you might devour;
You 've wronged the poor man of his rights;
You 've robbed the widow of her mites;
You 've often watched, as now, to catch
Some silly addle-headed wretch
More flush of money than of brains,
And turned his pockets for your gains;
In all your deal and all your diction
The truth was stranger far than fiction,
But tho' mankind were gulled by you;
One thing is sure, I 've got my due.
He said, and with infernal grin
His basket ope'd, and thrust him in.
I noticed as the lid he raised,
The brimstone flame beneath it blazed!
Don't feign surprise, my hopeful sinner!
We 've partners been these many years,
And now we'll settle your arrears.
Your credit is so poor of late
Not even I can longer wait;
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By seeking whom you might devour;
You 've wronged the poor man of his rights;
You 've robbed the widow of her mites;
You 've often watched, as now, to catch
Some silly addle-headed wretch
More flush of money than of brains,
And turned his pockets for your gains;
In all your deal and all your diction
The truth was stranger far than fiction,
But tho' mankind were gulled by you;
One thing is sure, I 've got my due.
He said, and with infernal grin
His basket ope'd, and thrust him in.
I noticed as the lid he raised,
The brimstone flame beneath it blazed!
A bull-head was the next he took.
The groper bit the naked hook!
Old Satan grinned another smile,
And thus delighted him awhile:
The groper bit the naked hook!
Old Satan grinned another smile,
And thus delighted him awhile:
‘Old churl, I know you to the letter!
You, too, are pretty deep my debtor;
A writing for your soul I hold.
The price of which was paid in gold;
But you were made of horse-leech stuff,
And never knew you had enough,
But you must cry for more, until
It 's my belief you'll get your fill.
What now avails your hoarded wealth?
By meanness yours if not by stealth.
What now avails your sneaking life,
Grudging your worthless self and wife
The necessary cost of living,
And knowing no such word as giving?
If aught you 'd had to pay for breath
Long since you would have choked to death.
Faith! you're too mean for me to take you;
But yet I must, and I will bake you!’
He spoke, and 'neath the basket lid
The poor old selfish miser hid.
You, too, are pretty deep my debtor;
A writing for your soul I hold.
The price of which was paid in gold;
But you were made of horse-leech stuff,
And never knew you had enough,
But you must cry for more, until
It 's my belief you'll get your fill.
What now avails your hoarded wealth?
By meanness yours if not by stealth.
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Grudging your worthless self and wife
The necessary cost of living,
And knowing no such word as giving?
If aught you 'd had to pay for breath
Long since you would have choked to death.
Faith! you're too mean for me to take you;
But yet I must, and I will bake you!’
He spoke, and 'neath the basket lid
The poor old selfish miser hid.
| The harp and plow | |