 | Puss in boots, and the Marquis of Carabas |  |
20
PLATE III.
Puss mounted the arm-chair, as grave as a judge,
John muttered “ridiculous!”—Jacob cried “fudge!”
But Will, with a smile at this joke of the brute's,
Said, “Measure our friend for a stout pair of boots.”
John muttered “ridiculous!”—Jacob cried “fudge!”
But Will, with a smile at this joke of the brute's,
Said, “Measure our friend for a stout pair of boots.”
The shoe-maker, glad of a job, set to work,
While he cried, with a scarcely perceptible shirk
Of his head, where his patron laid one of his paws,
“If you please, my young customer, draw in your claws!”
While he cried, with a scarcely perceptible shirk
Of his head, where his patron laid one of his paws,
“If you please, my young customer, draw in your claws!”
He stroked Puss's leg, and with pleasure Puss purred,
Then turned to his master, who silently heard,
“Good William, I love you; for, gentle and bland,
Full many a favor I owe to your hand.
Then turned to his master, who silently heard,
“Good William, I love you; for, gentle and bland,
Full many a favor I owe to your hand.
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“That hand oft caresses, while softly I purr,
And you try not to stroke the wrong way of the fur,
You let me sleep all undisturbed in the sun,
And never have teazed as your brothers have done.”
And you try not to stroke the wrong way of the fur,
You let me sleep all undisturbed in the sun,
And never have teazed as your brothers have done.”
“Oh! call me not faithless as other men do!
I look for more liberal judgment from you;
They hate us because we will ever be free,
But I'll show you how grateful a pussy can be.”
I look for more liberal judgment from you;
They hate us because we will ever be free,
But I'll show you how grateful a pussy can be.”
“Let the dog to the tyrant crouch, servile and tame!
It is thus he has earned him his station and name;
While we've claws, while we've teeth, for our nine lives to fight,
We fawn not, we yield not, we stand to our right!”
It is thus he has earned him his station and name;
While we've claws, while we've teeth, for our nine lives to fight,
We fawn not, we yield not, we stand to our right!”
“To truth, to affection, to justice, we show,
The powers that tyranny never shall know;
Your love has unsealed e'en my voice from its band,
Confide in your cat, and his talents command!”
The powers that tyranny never shall know;
Your love has unsealed e'en my voice from its band,
Confide in your cat, and his talents command!”
He held out his paw with a dignified grace,
While the loftiest sentiment shone in his face;
And touched with the eloquent speech of his friend,
Will took it, and promised to trust to the end.
While the loftiest sentiment shone in his face;
And touched with the eloquent speech of his friend,
Will took it, and promised to trust to the end.
| Puss in boots, and the Marquis of Carabas | |