The Children's Garland from the Best Poets Part 25

Now Mrs. Gilpin, when she saw Her husband posting down Into the country far away, She pull'd out half-a-crown;

And thus unto the youth she said, That drove them to the Bell, 'This shall be yours, when you bring back My husband safe and well.'

The youth did ride, and soon did meet John coming back amain; Whom in a trice he tried to stop, By catching at his rein;

But not performing what he meant, And gladly would have done, The frighted steed he frighted more, And made him faster run.

Away went Gilpin, and away Went postboy at his heels, The postboy's horse right glad to miss The rumbling of the wheels.

Six gentlemen upon the road Thus seeing Gilpin fly, With postboy scampering in the rear, They rais'd a hue and cry:-- 'Stop thief!--stop thief!--a highwayman!'

Not one of them was mute; And all and each that pa.s.sed that way Did join in the pursuit.

And now the turnpike gates again Flew open in short s.p.a.ce: The toll-men, thinking as before That Gilpin rode a race.

And so he did, and won it too, For he got first to town; Nor stopp'd till where he had got up He did again get down.

Now let us sing, long live the king, And Gilpin, long live he; And, when he next doth ride abroad, May I be there to see.

_W. Cowper_

LXXVI

_THE MILKMAID_

Once on a time a rustic dame, (No matter for the lady's name) Wrapt up in deep imagination, Indulg'd her pleasing contemplation; While on a bench she took her seat, And plac'd the milk-pail at her feet.

Oft in her hand she c.h.i.n.k'd the pence, The profits which arose from thence; While fond ideas fill'd her brain Of layings up, and monstrous gain, Till every penny which she told Creative fancy turn'd to gold; And reasoning thus from computation, She spoke aloud her meditation.

'Please heaven but to preserve my health, No doubt I shall have store of wealth; It must of consequence ensue I shall have store of lovers too.

O, how I'll break their stubborn hearts With all the pride of female arts.

What suitors then will kneel before me!

Lords, Earls, and Viscounts shall adore me.

When in my gilded coach I ride, My Lady, at his Lords.h.i.+p's side, How will I laugh at all I meet Clattering in pattens down the street!

And Lobbin then I'll mind no more, Howe'er I lov'd him heretofore; Or, if he talks of plighted truth, I will not hear the simple youth, But rise indignant from my seat, And spurn the lubber from my feet.'

Action, alas! the speaker's grace, Ne'er came in more improper place, For in the tossing forth her shoe What fancied bliss the maid o'erthrew!

While down at once, with hideous fall, Came lovers, wealth, and milk, and all.

_R. Lloyd_

LXXVII

_SIR SIDNEY SMITH_

Gentlefolks, in my time, I've made many a rhyme, But the song I now trouble you with Lays some claim to applause, and you'll grant it, because The subject's Sir Sidney Smith, it is; The subject's Sir Sidney Smith.

We all know Sir Sidney, a man of such kidney, He'd fight every foe he could meet; Give him one s.h.i.+p or two, and without more ado, He'd engage if he met a whole fleet, he would; He'd engage if he met a whole fleet.

Thus he took, every day, all that came in his way, Till fortune, that changeable elf, Order'd accidents so, that, while taking the foe, Sir Sidney got taken himself, he did; Sir Sidney got taken himself.

His captors, right glad of the prize they now had, Rejected each offer we bid, And swore he should stay, lock'd up till doomsday, But he swore he'd be hang'd if he did, he did; But he swore he'd be hang'd if he did.

So Sir Sid got away, and his gaoler next day Cried, 'Sacre, diable, morbleu!

Mon prisonnier 'scape, I 'ave got in von sc.r.a.pe, And I fear I must run away, too, I must; I fear I must run away too.'

_T. Dibdin_

LXXVIII

_THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN_

Hamelin Town's in Brunswick, By famous Hanover city; The river Weser deep and wide Washes its walls on the southern side; A pleasanter spot you never spied; But, when begins my ditty, Almost five hundred years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer so From vermin, was a pity.

Rats!

They fought the dogs and killed the cats, And bit the babies in their cradles, And ate the cheeses out of the vats, And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles, Split open the kegs of salted sprats, Made nests inside men's Sunday hats, And even spoiled the women's chats, By drowning their speaking With shrieking and squeaking In fifty different sharps and flats.

At last the people in a body To the Town-hall came flocking: ''Tis clear,' cried they, 'our Mayor's a noddy: And as for our Corporation--shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ermine For dolts that can't or won't determine What's best to rid us of our vermin!

You hope, because you're old and obese, To find in the furry civic robe ease!

Rouse up, Sirs! Give your brains a racking To find the remedy we're lacking, Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!'

At this the Mayor and Corporation Quaked with a mighty consternation.

An hour they sat in council, At length the Mayor broke silence: 'For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell; I wish I were a mile hence!

It's easy to bid one rack one's brain-- I'm sure my poor head aches again, I've scratched it so, and all in vain.

Oh for a trap, a trap, a trap!'

Just as he said this, what should hap At the chamber door, but a gentle tap?

'Bless us,' cried the Mayor, 'what's that?

Anything like the sound of a rat Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!

'Come in!' the Mayor cried, looking bigger: And in did come the strangest figure!

His queer long coat from heel to head Was half of yellow, and half of red; And he himself was tall and thin, With sharp blue eyes each like a pin, And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin, No tuft on cheek, nor beard on chin, But lips where smiles went out and in-- There was no guessing his kith and kin!

And n.o.body could enough admire The tall man and his quaint attire: Quoth one, 'It's as if my great-grandsire, Starting up at the trump of Doom's tone, Had walked this way from his painted tombstone!'

He advanced to the council table: And, 'Please your honours,' said he, 'I'm able, By means of a secret charm, to draw All creatures living beneath the sun, That creep, or swim, or fly, or run, After me so as you never saw!

And I chiefly use my charm On creatures that do people harm, The mole, the toad, the newt, the viper; And people call me the Pied Piper.

Yet,' said he, 'poor piper as I am, In Tartary I freed the Cham, Last June, from his huge swarm of gnats; I eased in Asia the Nizam Of a monstrous brood of vampyre bats: And as for what your brain bewilders, If I can rid your town of rats Will you give me a thousand guilders?'

'One? fifty thousand!' was the exclamation Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation.

Into the street the Piper stept, Smiling first a little smile, As if he knew what magic slept In his quiet pipe the while; Then like a musical adept, To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled, And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled, Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled; And ere three shrill notes the pipe had uttered, You heard as if an army muttered; And the muttering grew to a grumbling; And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling; And out of the houses the rats came tumbling-- Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats.