 | A merry-go-round of song |  |
132
ALADDIN'S LAMP
Aladdin never thought to be
A gentleman of high degree,
To live in gorgeousness, and see
His house a house of pride.
He never, never thought to make
A Genie build along a lake
A lofty palace for his sake,
And gild the rooms inside.
A gentleman of high degree,
To live in gorgeousness, and see
His house a house of pride.
He never, never thought to make
A Genie build along a lake
A lofty palace for his sake,
And gild the rooms inside.
He rubbed with handkerchief or cap
A lamp he found. A thunderclap
Upset the lantern in his lap;
A monstrous Genie came,
And gravely said that he was there
To do his bidding, foul or fair,
Since what he envied anywhere
He only had to name!—
A lamp he found. A thunderclap
Upset the lantern in his lap;
A monstrous Genie came,
And gravely said that he was there
To do his bidding, foul or fair,
Since what he envied anywhere
He only had to name!—
A hundred sleek and milk-white mares,
A palace rich in ivory stairs,
And emerald apples, ruby pears
To fill a thousand bags;
An orchard made of silver trees,
A dish of diamonds, magic bees
Whose honey turned to gold—all these
He said were cheap as rags!
A palace rich in ivory stairs,
And emerald apples, ruby pears
To fill a thousand bags;
An orchard made of silver trees,
A dish of diamonds, magic bees
Whose honey turned to gold—all these
He said were cheap as rags!
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Or would he like to have a flock
Of purple antelopes? Or stock
A giant bird-cage with a roc
Instructed to be tame?
Or keep a private moon to go
Above his parklands, to and fro,
Whenever he would have it show
Its face of silver flame?
Of purple antelopes? Or stock
A giant bird-cage with a roc
Instructed to be tame?
Or keep a private moon to go
Above his parklands, to and fro,
Whenever he would have it show
Its face of silver flame?
Aladdin's head was quickly turned
With dreams of splendour. He discerned
Success in front of him, and burned
To have a royal bride.
The Genie brought him golden stems
Adorned with rubies; pear-like gems,
And blazing stones for diadems
To suit the head of Pride.
With dreams of splendour. He discerned
Success in front of him, and burned
To have a royal bride.
The Genie brought him golden stems
Adorned with rubies; pear-like gems,
And blazing stones for diadems
To suit the head of Pride.
The King allowed him to address
With loving words the young Princess,
And she allowed him to caress
Her locks of radiant hair.
They married. In a single night
The Genie built for their delight
A palace of a glorious height
And fabulously fair.
With loving words the young Princess,
And she allowed him to caress
Her locks of radiant hair.
They married. In a single night
The Genie built for their delight
A palace of a glorious height
And fabulously fair.
All went as if on velvet wheels:
No one was ever late for meals,
Or uttered angry words or squeals;
The beds were never damp.
And thus the story had remained,
Delicious, sunny, and unstained,
But (how his bothered heart was pained!)
Aladdin lost the lamp!
No one was ever late for meals,
Or uttered angry words or squeals;
The beds were never damp.
And thus the story had remained,
Delicious, sunny, and unstained,
But (how his bothered heart was pained!)
Aladdin lost the lamp!
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Good-bye to Genie, jewels, gold,
The battlements, the coursers bold,
The lisping rivulet that rolled
Beside the palace wall.
Good-bye to frolic, and the sweet
Bewildering of the mazy feet
That timed the lute's melodious beat—
A long farewell to all!
The battlements, the coursers bold,
The lisping rivulet that rolled
Beside the palace wall.
Good-bye to frolic, and the sweet
Bewildering of the mazy feet
That timed the lute's melodious beat—
A long farewell to all!
For when the mighty stag was dead,
And hunting finished, homeward sped
Aladdin to the banquet spread
By his enchanting wife.
Imagine (if you can) the start
Of agony that shook his heart!
For gone was every glowing part
Of what was once his life.
And hunting finished, homeward sped
Aladdin to the banquet spread
By his enchanting wife.
Imagine (if you can) the start
Of agony that shook his heart!
For gone was every glowing part
Of what was once his life.
Aladdin, hearing from the King
Some horrid threats of torturing,
Half-heartedly caressed a ring
He wore upon his hand.
A Genie came! He, using charms,
Conveyed him over fields and farms
And oceans in his mighty arms
Toward a foreign land.
Some horrid threats of torturing,
Half-heartedly caressed a ring
He wore upon his hand.
A Genie came! He, using charms,
Conveyed him over fields and farms
And oceans in his mighty arms
Toward a foreign land.
And there, beneath a bluebell sky,
He saw his turrets. With a cry
Of starving love he hurried nigh,
Determining to beard
The grim Enchanter who had found
The precious Lamp, and then had bound
The Slave to lift from off the ground
The palace he had reared.
He saw his turrets. With a cry
Of starving love he hurried nigh,
Determining to beard
The grim Enchanter who had found
The precious Lamp, and then had bound
The Slave to lift from off the ground
The palace he had reared.
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Aladdin plotted to destroy
The dark disturber of his joy,
And use again in his employ
The Lamp's tremendous Slave.
The story ends as stories must
That tell of love's triumphant trust:
The grim Enchanter bit the dust,
And filled a worthless grave!
The dark disturber of his joy,
And use again in his employ
The Lamp's tremendous Slave.
The story ends as stories must
That tell of love's triumphant trust:
The grim Enchanter bit the dust,
And filled a worthless grave!
Aladdin rubbed the Lamp. Behold,
From shapelessness the Genie rolled
Enormous muscles, as of old,
And arched his sinewy back!
Like lightning through the air he went
Beneath his load of battlement,
Embraces, kisses and content,
Upon the homeward track!
From shapelessness the Genie rolled
Enormous muscles, as of old,
And arched his sinewy back!
Like lightning through the air he went
Beneath his load of battlement,
Embraces, kisses and content,
Upon the homeward track!
| A merry-go-round of song | |