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53
THE TARTAR WHO CAUGHT A TARTAR.
A HUNGARIAN LEGEND.
I.
There's trouble in Hungary, now, alas!There's trouble on every hand;
For that terrible man,
The Tartar Khan,
Is ravaging over the land!
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II.
He is riding forth with his ugly men,To rob and ravish and slay:
For deeds like those,
You may well suppose,
Are quite in the Tartar-way.
III.
And now he comes, that terrible chief,To a mansion grand and old:
And he peers about
Within and without,
And what do his eyes behold?
IV.
A thousand cattle in fold and field,And sheep all over the plain,
And noble steeds,
Or rarest breeds,
And beautiful crops of grain.
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V.
But finer still is the hoarded wealthThat his ravished eyes behold,
In silver plate
Of wondrous weight,
And jewels of pearl and gold!
VI.
A nobleman owns this fine estate:And when the robber he sees,
'Tis not very queer
He quakes with fear,
And trembles a bit in the knees!
VII.
He quakes in fear of his precious life,And scarce suppressing a groan,
“Good Tartar,” says he,
“Whatever you see
Be pleased to reckon your own!”
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VIII.
The Khan looked round in a leisurely wayAs one who is puzzled to choose;
When, cocking his ear,
He chanced to hear
The creak of feminine shoes!
IX.
The Tartar smiled a villanous smile,When, like a lily in bloom,
A lady fair
With golden hair
Came gliding into the room!
X.
The robber stared with amorous eyes;Was ever so winning a face?
And long he gazed
As one amazed
To see such beauty and grace!
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XI.
A moment more, and the lawless manHad seized his struggling prey,
Without remorse,
And—taking horse—
He bore the lady away!
XII.
“Now Heaven be praised!” the nobleman cried,“For many a mercy to me!
I bow me still
Unto His will.
God pity the Tartar!” said he.
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