Читать книгу The Humorous Poetry of the English Language; from Chaucer to Saxe - Various - Страница 63

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Cocking his tail, a saucy prig,

A Magpie hopped upon a Pig,

To pull some hair, forsooth, to line his nest;

And with such ease began the hair attack,

As thinking the fee simple of the back

Was by himself, and not the Pig, possessed.

The Boar looked up as thunder black to Mag,

Who, squinting down on him like an arch wag,

Informed Mynheer some bristles must be torn.

Then briskly went to work, not nicely culling:

Got a good handsome beakful by good pulling,

And flew, without a "Thank ye" to his thorn.

The Pig set up a dismal yelling:

Followed the robber to his dwelling,

Who like a fool had built it 'midst a bramble.

In manfully he sallied, full of might,

Determined to obtain his right,

And 'midst the bushes now began to scramble.

He drove the Magpie, tore his nest to rags,

And, happy on the downfall, poured his brags:

But ere he from the brambles came, alack!

His ears and eyes were miserably torn,

His bleeding hide in such a plight forlorn,

He could not count ten hairs upon his back.