THE CROCODILE'S DINNER PARTY.
BY E. VINTON BLAKE.
FROM "GOOD CHEER."
A wily crocodile
Who dwelt upon the Nile,
Bethought himself one day to give a dinner.
"Economy," said he,
"Is chief of all with me,
And shall considered be—as I'm a sinner!"
With paper, pen and ink,
He sat him down to think;
And first of all, Sir Lion he invited;
The northern wolf who dwells
In rocky Arctic dells;
The Leopard and the Lynx, by blood united.
Then Mr. Fox the shrewd—
No lover he of good—
And Madam Duck with sober step and stately;
And Mr. Frog serene
In garb of bottle green,
Who warbled bass, and bore himself sedately.
Sir Crocodile, content,
The invitations sent.
The day was come—his guests were all assembled;
They fancied that some guile
Lurked in his ample smile;
Each on the other looked, and somewhat trembled.
A lengthy time they wait
Their hunger waxes great;
And still the host in conversation dallies.
At last the table's laid,
With covered dishes spread,
And out in haste the hungry party sallies.
But when—the covers raised—
On empty plates they gazed,
Each on the other looked with dire intention;
Ma'am Duck sat last of all,
And Mr. Frog was small;—
She softly swallowed him, and made no mention!
This Mr. Fox perceives,
And saying, "By your leaves,
Some punishment is due for this transgression."
He gobbled her in haste,
Then much to his distaste,
By Mr. Lynx was taken in possession!
The Wolf without a pause,
In spite of teeth and claws,
Left nothing of the Lynx to tell the story;
The Leopard all irate
At his relation's fate,
Made mince meat of that wolfish monster hoary.
The Lion raised his head;
"Since I am king," he said,
"It ill befits the king to lack his dinner!"
Then on the Leopard sprang,
With might of claw and fang,
And made a meal upon that spotted sinner!—
Then saw in sudden fear
Sir Crocodile draw near,
And heard him speak, with feelings of distraction;
"Since all of you have dined
Well suited to your mind,
You surely cannot grudge me satisfaction!"
And sooth, a deal of guile
Lurked in his ample smile,
As down his throat the roaring lion hasted;
"Economy with me,
Is chief of all," said he,
"And I am truly glad to see there's nothing wasted."