hat you, sire, never do wrong,
no tail so stiff and strong,
no tail to strike and slay,
ave ears to hear what I say.'

e done well,' the king replies,
on her his little eyes;
man, yes, you have done right;
ave not described me quite.

O tail to strike and slay,
Fe ears to hear what you say;
th, moreover, as you may see,
I make a meal of thee.'

e word, and bootless the boast, King Crocodile found to his cost, er reward of tyrannical might; 1 his teeth, but he miss'd his bite.

of me!' the woman cried,

it in her anger, and courage beside; him his forelegs and hind between, lled him off the eggs of the Queen.

e herself then she did not fail;
ow in his motions for want of a tail;
or the woman was it the while
Queen was gadding abroad in the Nile.

odile Princes, as they play'd on the sand, it, and grasping them one in each hand, e head of one into the throat of the other, è each Prince Crocodile choke his brother..

And when she had truss'd three couple this way,
She carried them off and hasten'd away,
And plying her oars with might and main,
Cross'd the river and got to the shore again.

When the Crocodile Queen came home, she found
That her eggs were broken and scatter'd around,
And that six young princes, darlings all,

Were missing; for none of them answered her call.

Then many a not very pleasant thing
Pass'd between her and the Crocodile King;
'Is this your care of the nest?' cried she;

A li

Ανα

For

Of

'It comes of your gadding abroad,' said he.

The Queen had the better in this dispute,

And the Crocodile King found it best to be mute;
While a terrible peal in his ears she rung,
For the Queen had a tail as well as a tongue.

In woful patience he let her rail,

Standing less in fear of her tongue than her tail,
And knowing that all the words which were spoken
Could not mend one of the eggs that were broken.
The woman, meantime, was very well pleased,
She had saved her life, and her heart was eased;
The justice she ask'd in vain for her son,
She had taken herself, and six for one.

'Mash-Allah!' her neighbours exclaim'd in delight,
She gave them a funeral supper that night,
Where they all agreed that revenge was sweet,
And young Prince Crocodiles delicate meat.

R. Southey

CXLIX

THE LION AND THE CUB

n cub, of sordid mind,

led all the lion kind;

- of applause, he sought the feasts lgar and ignoble beasts;

asses all his time he spent, club's perpetual president.

aught their manners, looks, and airs; ss in everything but ears!

er his Highness meant a joke,

grinn'd applause before he spoke ; t each word what shouts of praise; _ness! how natural he brays! ate with flattery and conceit, eeks his royal sire's retreat; ard and fond to show his parts, Highness brays; the lion starts. uppy! that curs'd vociferation ■ys thy life and conversation : ombs, an ever-noisy race, rumpets of their own disgrace. Why so severe ?' the cub replies; senate always held me wise!' How weak is pride,' returns the sire : fools are vain when fools admire !

now, what stupid asses prize,

s and noble beasts despise.'

J. Gay

Close by

Three ki

I, passin

At the t

Not mu

Not dee

But pre

Caused

When 1

With he

A viper Forth f Darting Who ha The lik

Only p

Her wh

On to t But sw

With w

To find

And, tu Found But sti

Sat wa

I hop

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And if

No do

CLI

THE COLUBRIAD

he threshold of a door nail'd fast, ens sat; each kitten look'd aghast. swift and inattentive by,

ee kittens cast a careless eye;

concern'd to know what they did there, ing kittens worth a Poet's care. ntly a loud and furious hiss

e to stop, and to exclaim, 'What's this?' upon the threshold met my view,

d erect, and eyes of fiery hue,

ong as Count de Grasse's queue.

n his head his forked tongue he throws, - full against a kitten's nose;

ng never seen, in field or house,

sat still and silent as a mouse:
ecting, with attention due,

ker'd face, she asked him, 'Who are you?
hall went I, with pace not slow,
as lightning, for a long Dutch hoe:
ch well arm'd I hasten'd to the spot,
ne viper, but I found him not.

ing up the leaves and shrubs around,
ly, that he was not to be found.
he kitten, sitting as before,
ing close the bottom of the door.
said I, 'the villain I would kill

'd between the door and the door-sill;
make despatch, and follow hard,
but I shall find him in the yard ;'