Narcissus and Other Poems By E. Carpenter |
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THE CARPENTER AND THE KING.
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 | Narcissus and Other Poems |  |
209
THE CARPENTER AND THE KING.
A Carpenter upon a day
Did call upon a King;
The King exclaimed: ‘The Queen's away,
Can I do anything?’
Did call upon a King;
The King exclaimed: ‘The Queen's away,
Can I do anything?’
‘You can,’ the Carpenter replied,
‘I want a bit of bread.’
‘Why?’ cried the King; the fellow sighed:
‘I'm hungry, sire,’ he said.
‘I want a bit of bread.’
‘Why?’ cried the King; the fellow sighed:
‘I'm hungry, sire,’ he said.
‘Dear me! I'll call my Chancellor,
He understands such things;
Your claims I cannot cancel, or
Deem them fit themes for kings.
He understands such things;
Your claims I cannot cancel, or
Deem them fit themes for kings.
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‘Sir Chancellor, why here's a wretch
Starving—like rats or mice!’
The Chancellor replied: ‘I'll fetch
The Steward in a trice.’
Starving—like rats or mice!’
The Chancellor replied: ‘I'll fetch
The Steward in a trice.’
The Steward came, and by his look
You might have guessed he'd shirk;
Said he: ‘Your Majesty's mistook,
This is the Butler's work.’
You might have guessed he'd shirk;
Said he: ‘Your Majesty's mistook,
This is the Butler's work.’
The Butler said the case was bad,
But quite beyond his power,
Seeing it was the Baker had
The keys of cake and flour.
But quite beyond his power,
Seeing it was the Baker had
The keys of cake and flour.
The Baker called,—‘The keys I've lost,’
He wept; ‘but in a span
I'll call the Carp— why, Holy Ghost!
Here is the very man.’
He wept; ‘but in a span
I'll call the Carp— why, Holy Ghost!
Here is the very man.’
‘Hurrah! hurrah!’ they loudly cried,
‘How cleverly we've done it!
We've solved this question deep and wide
Well nigh ere we'd begun it.’
‘How cleverly we've done it!
We've solved this question deep and wide
Well nigh ere we'd begun it.’
211
‘Thanks!’ said the Carpenter; ‘meanwhile
Go moulder on the shelf:
The next time I am starving I'll
Take leave to help myself.’
Go moulder on the shelf:
The next time I am starving I'll
Take leave to help myself.’
| Narcissus and Other Poems | |