 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
23
THE UNLUCKY NUMBER
Out on a ledge in the bright blue sea
Lay thirteen seals and basked in the sun,
Below swam the little fish merrily,
And the seals were breakfasting, every one.
Lay thirteen seals and basked in the sun,
Below swam the little fish merrily,
And the seals were breakfasting, every one.
Ah, how warm was the sun, and bright!
Softly the breakers whispering rolled,
Over their heads sailed the sea gulls white,
And the seaweeds swayed in the water cold.
Softly the breakers whispering rolled,
Over their heads sailed the sea gulls white,
And the seaweeds swayed in the water cold.
There crept a gunner across the wave,
Silently rowing his slender boat,
He gazed at the company sleek and brave,
While the gulls above shrieked a warning note.
Silently rowing his slender boat,
He gazed at the company sleek and brave,
While the gulls above shrieked a warning note.
A puff of vanishing smoke,—a flash,
A sound that rang till the welkin roared!
Down slipped the company, splash, splash, splash!
And far in the distance the white gulls soared.
A sound that rang till the welkin roared!
Down slipped the company, splash, splash, splash!
And far in the distance the white gulls soared.
Alas, on the heaving brine uprose
One shining form again to the light,
One seal had fled to his last repose,
And floating lay in a piteous plight.
One shining form again to the light,
One seal had fled to his last repose,
And floating lay in a piteous plight.
“Well,” said the gunner, stooping to draw
The limp amphibian on board,
“You're as fine as fellow as ever I saw,
But an ancient saying you have ignored.
The limp amphibian on board,
“You're as fine as fellow as ever I saw,
But an ancient saying you have ignored.
You made thirteen at your table, friend!
But it wasn't possible you should know
How the wicked Judas came to his end,
And cursed the number long years ago.”
But it wasn't possible you should know
How the wicked Judas came to his end,
And cursed the number long years ago.”
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |