Cie 4

So Reynard thought, and downwards
With sword in hand he starts :

And ere his feet have touched ground
His blade has pierced their hearts.

‘Well done!’ cries friendly Hedgehog ;
‘T’ve just seen in the wood

A sight quite interesting,
*Twill do your young eyes good.’

About a dozen paces,
And there, in all her charms,
Jack finds the lovely Flora—
She rushes to his arms.

The Dame, too, him embraces,
And cries, ‘My valiant son!
We just have seen your triumph,
The deed was boldly done.

You're master of this castle,
And, if you’re but polite,

Will give us hearty welcome,
And here we’ll pass the night.

We've brought our own provisions,
As you might chance be tried

At such a short announcement
For such guests to provide.

I thought you should see Flora
Before she goes away ;

For she has chose to-morrow
To be her bridal day.’

Of course the maiden blushed then,
Of course the youth looked glad,

Of course the Dame was smiling,
The Hedgehog’s only sad.

 

‘Tis parting from the young folks—
There’s much upon his hands ;
Just half-a-dozen castles,
And vast amount in lands.

For he’s to be the steward,
And all things must prepare,
Wherever Jack and Flora
May go for change of air.

| His duty for the present

Will be to renovate

| And decorate the castles,

Now most dilapidate.

Next morn the queer old lady
Her large hamper unpacks ;
The young folks cease to wonder,

So strange are all her acts.

She first brings out a large bag,
Of silk o’erspread with net ;

| Then many jars and bottles

Are soon in order set.

With chemicals a bad smell
Is readily effected,

And then, by means of a pipe,
The bag with jars connected.

_ It swells, and yet swells bigger ;

And now, to Jack’s surprise,
The bag itself stands upright,
And tries in air to rise.
By two strong ropes ’tis steadied,
And now the Dame unites
The hamper and the network,
And all of them invites