492 NURSERY RHYMES.

 

DCCXCIV.
THE STORY OF MR. FOX.*

ONCE upon a time there was a young lady called Lady Mary,
who had two brothers. One summer they all three went toa
country seat of theirs which they had not before visited. Among
the other gentry in the neighbourhood who came to see them
was a Mr. Fox, a bachelor, with whom they, particularly the young
lady, were much pleased. He used often to dine with them, and
frequently invited Lady Mary to come and see his house. One
day, when her brothers were absent elsewhere, and she had nothing
better to do, she determined to go thither, and accordingly set
out unattended. When she arrived at the house and knocked
at the door, no one answered. At length she opened it and went
in, and over the portal of the door was written :

Be bold, be bold, but not too bold.

She advanced, and found the same inscription over the staircase ;
again at the entrance of a gallery; and lastly at the door of a
chamber, with the addition of a line:

Be bold, be bold, but not too bold,
Lest that your heart’s blood should run cold!

She opened it, and what was her terror and astonishment to
find the floor covered with bones and blood! She retreated in
haste, and coming downstairs, she saw from a window Mr. Fox

* A simple but very curious tale, of considerable antiquity. It is alluded to by

Shakspeare, and was contributed to the Variorum edition by Blakeway. Part of this
story will recall to the reader’s memory the enchanted chamber of Britomart.