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For certes, though he raged and wept,
His majesty, like all, close shelter kept,
Solicitous to live, holding his breath
Specially precious to the realm. Now death
Is not thus viewed by honest beasts of prey;
And when the lion found him fled away,
Ashamed to be so grand, man being so base,
He muttered to himself, “A wretched king!
‘Tis well; I’ll eat his boy!” Then, wandering,
Lordly he traversed courts and corridors,
Paced beneath vaults of gold on shining floors,
Glanced at the throne deserted, stalked from hall
To hall–green, yellow, crimson–empty all!
Rich couches void, soft seats unoccupied!
And as he walked he looked from side to side
To find some pleasant nook for his repast,
Since appetite was come to munch at last
The princely morsel!–Ah! what sight astounds
That grisly lounger?

In the palace grounds
An alcove on a garden gives, and there
A tiny thing–forgot in the general fear,
Lulled in the flower-sweet dreams of infancy,
Bathed with soft sunlight falling brokenly
Through leaf and lattice–was at that moment waking;
A little lovely maid, most dear and taking,
The prince’s sister–all alone, undressed–
She sat up singing: children sing so best.
Charming this beauteous baby-maid; and so
The beast caught sight of her and stopped–

And then
Entered–the floor creaked as he stalked straight in.
Above the playthings by the little bed
The lion put his shaggy, massive head,
Dreadful with savage might and lordly scorn,
More dreadful with that princely prey so borne;
Which she, quick spying, “Brother, brother!” cried,
“Oh, my own brother!” and, unterrified,
She gazed upon that monster of the wood,
Whose yellow balls not Typhon had withstood,
And–well! who knows what thoughts these small heads hold?
She rose up in her cot–full height, and bold,
And shook her pink fist angrily at him.
Whereon–close to the little bed’s white rim,
All dainty silk and laces–this huge brute
Set down her brother gently at her foot,
Just as a mother might, and said to her,
“Don’t be put out, now! There he is, dear, there!”

Translated by EDWIN ARNOLD, C.S.I.