To their ear-tips mules sprawl’d in it!

It couldn’t be chain’d off,

It wouldn’t be drain’d off;

It couldn’t be tied up,

It wouldn’t be dried up;

It couldn’t be shut down,

It wouldn’t be cut down.

Riders gladly abroad would have shipp’d it,

Walkers gladly at home would have skipp’d it.

Frost bak’d it,