(Mee)

A pair of ven’son pasties,
Of cake a monstrous hunch,
And then she said, half choking,
‘T think I'll do till lunch !’

The Hedgehog now appearing,
For this delay Jack blames,
And begs them to come upstairs,
And have some jolly games.

‘Let's get upon the housetop,
And throw stones at the crows :
This Bella knows is naughty,
So up at once she goes.

Their missiles soon expended,
They play at hide-and-seek ;
‘Come, see who now can jump best,
Cries Hedgehog with a squeak.

Jack jumped and jumped right fairish ;
The little maiden beat him :

‘Bravo !’ exclaimed the Hedgehog,
‘I knew that you’d defeat him !’

Jack jump’d again, and this time
His toes have struck the edge ;
The Giantess, to vanquish,
Has jump’d upon the ledge.
The ledge, alas! is slippery ;
A struggle and a scream ;
And then she topples over—
Her head has struck a beam.
A moment she’s suspended,
Held by her pinafore ;
Which Hedgehog kindly loosened,
To make her downfall sure.

 

|

 

The child and sire they bury,
As quickly as they may ;
Lock up the gloomy castle,
And take their homeward way.
* * * *
What mean these constellations,
These balls of flashing light ?
What causes this commotion,
At this late hour of night ?

| Jack sends the Hedgehog forward,

And tarries in the wood ;
The Dame’s house is surrounded,
He saw from where he stood.

Three giant forms are seen now,
And with them quite a host ;
A battle stern is raging—
How can Jack help the most ?

‘Quick!’ cries the Hedgehog, ‘follow!
She wants you safe inside ;

Too many here are fighting,
Your sword shall yet be tried.’

They rush into some bushes,
Sink through a heap of sand,

| Dart through a secret passage,

And join the beleaguered band.

| The old dame from her turret

Casts down the balls of fire,

| Which cling to all they come to,

And cause destruction dire.

In form they’re like a chain-shot—
Two balls, one hooks on tight;

_ The other, like a hand-flail,

Strikes out with magic might.
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