Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine Part 10

THE lover, now convinced that he was feared; In dark designs upon her persevered.

No sooner had she entered, than our man Locked instantly the door, but vain his plan; To open it the princess had a key; The girl her fault perceived, and tried to flee; He held her fast; the charmer loudly called; The princess came--or vainly she had squalled.

QUITE disappointed: overcome with ire, He wholly lost respect amid desire, And swore by all the G.o.ds, that, ere they went, The one or other should to him consent; Their hands he'd firmly tie to have his way; For help (the place so far) 'twere vain to pray; To take a lot was all that he'd allow; Come, draw, he said; to Fortune you must bow; No haggling I request--comply; be still: Resolved I am with one to have my will.

WHAT has the princess done? the girl replied, That you, to make her suffer, thus decide Yes, said the spark, if on her fall the lot, Then you'll, at least for present, be forgot.

NO, cried Alaciel, ne'er I'll have it said, To sacrifice I saw a maiden led; I'll suffer rather all that you expect, If you will spare my friend as I direct.

'Twas all in vain, the lots were drawn at last, And on the princess was the burthen cast; The other was permitted to retire, And each was sworn that nothing should transpire: But our gallant would sooner have been hung, Than have upon such secrets held his tongue; 'Tis clear, no longer silent he remained, Than one to listen to his tale he'd gained.

THIS change of favourites the princess grieved; That Cupid trifled with her she perceived; With much regret she saw her blooming charms, The Helen of too many Paris' arms.

ONE day it happened, as our beauteous belle Was sleeping in a wood beside a dell, By chance there pa.s.sed, quite near, a wand'ring knight, Like those the ladies followed with delight, When they on palfreys rode in days of old, And purity were always thought to hold.

THIS knight, who copied those of famed romance, Sir Roger, and the rest, in complisance, No sooner saw the princess thus asleep, Than instantly he wished a kiss to reap.

While thinking, whether from the neck or lip, 'Twere best the tempting balm of bliss to sip, He suddenly began to recollect The laws of chivalry he should respect.

Although the thought retained, his fervent prayer To Cupid was, that while the nymph was there, Her fascinating charms he might enjoy; Sure love's soft senses were ne'er designed to cloy!

THE princess woke, and great surprise expressed; Oh! charming fair, said he, be not distressed; No savage of the woods nor giant 's nigh, A wand'ring knight alone you now descry, Delighted thus to meet a beauteous belle Such charms divine, what angel can excel!

THIS compliment was followed by his sighs, And frank confession, both from tongue and eyes; Our lover far in little time could go; At length, he offered on her to bestow, His hand and heart, and ev'ry thing beside, Which custom sanctions when we seek a bride.

WITH courtesy his offer was received, And she related what her bosom grieved; Detailed her hist'ry, but with care concealed The six gallants, as wrong to be revealed.

The knight, in what he wished, indulgence got; And, while the princess much deplored her lot, The youth proposed Alaciel he should bring, To Mamolin, or Alexandria's king.

TO Mamolin? replied the princess fair, No, no--I now indeed would fain repair, (Could I my wishes have), to Zarus' court, My native country:--thither give support.

IF Cupid grant me life, rejoined the knight, You there shall go, and I'll a.s.sist your flight; To have redress, upon yourself depends, As well as to requite the best of friends; But should I perish in the bold design, Submit you must, as wills the pow'rs divine.

I'll freely say, howe'er, that I regard, My services enough to claim reward.

ALACIEL readily to this agreed; And favours fondly promised to concede; T'ensure, indeed, his guarding her throughout, They were to be conferred upon the route, From time to time as onward they should go, Not all at once, but daily some to flow.

THINGS thus arranged, the fair behind the knight Got up at once, and with him took to flight.

Our cavalier his servants sought to find, That, when he crossed the wood, he left behind; With these a nephew and his tutor rode; The belle a palfrey took, as more the mode, But, by her walked attentively the spark, A tale he'd now relate; at times remark The pa.s.sing scene; then press his ardent flame; And thus amused our royal, beauteous dame.

THE treaty was most faithfully observed; No calculation wrong; from naught they swerved.

At length they reached the sea; on s.h.i.+p-board got; A quick and pleasing pa.s.sage was their lot; Delightfully serene, which joy increased; To land they came (from perils thought released;) At Joppa they debarked; two days remained: And when refreshed, the proper road they gained; Their escort was the lover's train alone; On Asia's sh.o.r.es to plunder bands are p.r.o.ne; By these were met our spark and lovely fair; New dangers they, alas! were forced to share.

TO cede, at first, their numbers forced the train; But rallied by our knight they were again; A desp'rate push he made; repulsed their force; And by his valour stopt, at length, their course; In which attack a mortal wound he got, But was not left for dead upon the spot.

BEFORE his death he full instructions gave, To grant the belle whatever she might crave; He ordered too, his nephew should convey, Alaciel to her home without delay, Bequeathing him whatever he possessed, And--what the princess owed among the rest.

AT length, from dread alarms and tears released, The pair fulfilled the will of our deceased; Discharged each favour was, of which the last Was cancelled just as they the frontiers pa.s.sed.

THE nephew here his precious charge resigned, For fear the king should be displeased to find, His daughter guarded by a youthful swain:-- The tutor only with her could remain.

NO words of mine, no language can express The monarch's joy his child to re-possess; And, since the difficulty I perceive, I'll imitate old Sol's retreat at eve, Who falls with such rapidity of view, He seems to plunge, dame Thetis to pursue.

THE tutor liked his own details to hear, And entertaining made his tales appear: The num'rous perils that the fair had fled, Who laughed aside, no doubt, at what he said.

I SHOULD observe, the aged tutor cried, The princess, while for liberty she sighed, And quite alone remained (by Hispal left,) That she might be of idleness bereft, Resolved most fervently a G.o.d to serve, From whom she scarcely since would ever swerve, A G.o.d much wors.h.i.+pped 'mong the people there, With num'rous temples which his honours share, Denominated cabinets and bow'rs, In which, from high respect to heav'nly pow'rs, They represent the image of a bird, A pleasing sight, though (what appears absurd) 'Tis bare of plumage, save about the wings; To this each youthful bosom incense brings, While other G.o.ds, as I've been often told, They scarcely notice, till they're growing old.

DID you but know the virtuous steps she trod, While thus devoted to the little G.o.d, You'd thank a hundred times the pow'rs above, That gave you such a child to bless your love.

But many other customs there abound:-- The FAIR with perfect liberty are found: Can go and come, whene'er the humour fits; No eunuch (shadow like) that never quits; But watches ev'ry movement:--always feared; No men, but who've upon the chin a beard: Your daughter from the first, their manners took: So easy is her ev'ry act and look, And truly to her honour I may say, She's all-accommodating ev'ry way.

THE king delighted seemed at what he heard; But since her journey could not be deferred, The princess, with a num'rous escort, tried Again o'er seas t'wards Garba's sh.o.r.es to glide, And, there arrived, was cordially received By Mamolin, who loved, she soon believed, To fond excess; and, all her suite to aid, A handsome gift to ev'ry one was made.

THE king with n.o.ble feasts the court regaled, At which Alaciel pleasantly detailed just what she liked, or true or false, 'twas clear; The prince and courtiers were disposed to hear.

AT night the queen retired to soft repose, From whence next morn with honour she arose; The king was found much pleasure to express; Alaciel asked no more, you well may guess.

BY this we learn, that husbands who aver Their wond'rous penetration often err; And while they fancy things so very plain, They've been preceded by a fav'rite swain.

The safest rule 's to be upon your guard; Fear ev'ry guile; yet hope the full reward.

SWEET, charming FAIR, your characters revere; The Mamolin's a bird not common here.

With us Love's fascination is so soon Succeeded by the licensed honey moon, There's scarcely opportunity to fool, Though oft the husband proves an easy tool.

YOUR friends.h.i.+ps may be very chaste and pure, But strangely Cupid's lessons will allure.

Defeat his wiles; resist his tempting charms E'en from suspicion suffer not alarms.

Don't laugh at my advice; 'twere like the boys, Who better might amuse themselves with toys.

IF any one, howe'er unable seem, To make resistance 'gainst the flame supreme Turn ALL to jest; though right to keep the crown Yet lost, 'there wrong, yourself to hang or drown.

THE MAGICK CUP

THE worst of ills, with jealousy compared, Are trifling torments ev'ry where declared.

IMAGINE, to yourself a silly fool, To dark suspicion grown an easy tool; No soft repose he finds, by night or day; But rings his ear, he's wretched ev'ry way!

Continually he dreams his forehead sprouts; The truth of reveries he never doubts.

But this I would not fully guaranty, For he who dreams, 'tis said, asleep should be; And those who've caught, from time to time, a peep, Pretend to say--the jealous never sleep.

A MAN who has suspicions soon will rouse; But buz a fly around his precious spouse, At once he fancies cuckoldom is brought, And nothing can eradicate the thought; In spite of reason he must have a place, And numbered be, among the horned race; A cuckold to himself he freely owns, Though otherwise perhaps in flesh and bones.

GOOD folks, of cuckoldom, pray what's the harm, To give, from time to time, such dire alarm?

What injury 's received, and what 's the wrong, At which so many sneer and loll their tongue?

While unacquainted with the fact, 'tis naught; If known:--e'en then 'tis scarcely worth a thought.

You think, however, 'tis a serious grief; Then try to doubt it, which may bring relief, And don't resemble him who took a sup, From out the celebrated magick cup.

Be warned by others' ills; the tale I'll tell; Perhaps your irksomeness it may dispel.

BUT first, by reason let me prove, I pray, That evil such as this, and which you say, Oft weighs you down with soul-corroding care; Is only in the mind:--mere spright of air: Your hat upon your head for instance place, Less gently rather than's your usual case; Pray, don't it presently at ease remain?

And from it do you aught amiss retain?

Not e'en a spot; there's nothing half so clear; The features, too, they as before appear?

No difference a.s.suredly you see?

Then how can cuckoldom an evil be?