"And to the King I will complain
How my poor child was wickedly slain;
The King of the Crocodiles he is good,
And I shall have the murderer's blood."
The man replied, "No, woman, no;
To the Island of Reeds I will not go;
I would not for any worldly thing
See the face of the Crocodile King.
"Then lend me now your little boat,
And I will down the river float,
I tell thee that no worldly thing
Shall keep me from the Crocodile King.
"The King of the Crocodiles he is good And therefore will give me blood for blood; Being so mighty and so just
He can revenge me, he will, and he must."
The woman she leaped into the boat,
And down the river alone did she float,
And fast with the stream the boat proceeds,
And now she is come to the Island of Reeds.
The King of the Crocodiles there was seen; He sat upon the eggs of the Queen,
And all around a numerous rout
The young Prince Crocodiles crawled about.
The woman shook every limb with fear
As she to the Crocodile King came near,
For never a man without fear and awe
The face of his Crocodile Majesty saw.
She fell upon her bended knee
And said, "O King! have pity on me,
For I have lost my darling child,
And that's the loss that makes me wild.
"A Crocodile ate him for his food:
Now let me have the murderer's blood;
Let me have vengeance for my boy,
The only thing that can give me joy.
"I know that you, Sire, never do wrong,
You have no tail so stiff and strong,
You have no tail to strike and slay,
But you have ears to hear what I say."
"You have done well," the King replies,
And fixed on her his little eyes;
"Good woman, yes, you have done right;
But you have not described me quite.
"I have no tail to strike and slay,
And I have ears to hear what you say;
I have teeth, moreover, as you may see,
And I will make a meal of thee."
Wicked the word, and bootless the boast, As cruel King Crocodile found to his cost,
And proper reward of tyrannical might;
He showed his teeth, but he missed his bite.
"A meal of me!" the woman cried,
Taking wit in her anger, and courage beside;
She took him his forelegs and hind between,
And trundled him off the eggs of the Queen.
revenge herself then she did not fail;
He was slow in his motions for want of a tail;
But well for the woman was it the while
That the Queen was gadding abroad in the Nile.
Two Crocodile Princes, as they played on the sand,
She caught, and grasping them one in each hand,
Thrust the head of the one into the throat of the other,
And made each Prince Crocodile choke his brother.
And when she had trussed three couple this way,
She carried them off and hastened away,
And plying her oars with might and main
Crossed the river and got to the shore again.
When the Crocodile Queen came home, she found
That her eggs were broken and scattered around;
And that her six young princes, darlings all,
Were missing; for none of them answered her call.
Then many a not very pleasant thing
Passed between her and the Crocodile King:
"Is this your care of the nest?" cried she;
"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
She had saved her life, and her heart was eased;
The justice she asked in vain for her son,
She had taken herself, and six for one.
"Mash-Allah!" her neighbours exclaimed in delight,
She gave them a funeral supper that night,
Where they all agreed that revenge was sweet,
And young Prince Crocodiles delicate meat.
John Gilpin was a citizen
Of credit and renown,
A train-band captain eke was he
Of famous London town.
John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear,
Though wedded we have been These twice ten tedious years, yet we No holiday have seen.
"To-morrow is our wedding day
And we will then repair
Unto the Bell at Edmonton,
All in a chaise and pair.
"My sister and my sister's child,
Myself, and children three,
Will fill the chaise; so you must ride
On horseback after we."
He soon replied, "I do admire
Of womankind but one,
And you are she, my dearest dear,
Therefore it shall be done.
"I am a linen-draper bold,
As all the world doth know,
And my good friend, the Calender,
Will lend his horse to go."
Quoth Mrs. Gilpin, "That's well said;
And, for that wine is dear,
We will be furnished with our own,
Which is both bright and clear."
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