VI.
His cap of wit, the Giant's gift,
Informed him where the Prince to find;
And he has donned his "Walker's" swift,
And, leaving chough and crow behind,
His Royal Highness soon has joined.
"Jack," said the Prince, for fun agog,
"Get up behind, you jolly dog!"
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So up he jumps, and on they jog.
They soon have gained the secret bower,
Where, spell-bound by the warlock's power,
Was kept in "quod" that lady bright:
She was remarkably polite,
Displayed before them such a spread!
Oh! gracious goodness, how they fed!
No lack of turtle-soup was there,
Of flesh, and fowl, and fish,
Of choicest dainties, rich and rare;
Turbot and lobster-sauce, and hare;
And turtle, plenty, and to spare;
And sweets enough to make you stare,
And every sort of dish.
And there were floods of Malvoisie,
Champagne, and Hock, and Burgundy,
Sauterne, and Rhein-wine, and Moselle;-
It was a bouquet, sooth, to smell;
And there was Port and Sherry;—well;
And more liqueurs than I can tell.
VII.
When the banquet was ended the lady arose,
And her cherry lips wiped, and her lily white nose;
And she gazed on the gallant young Prince with a sigh,
And a smile on her cheek, and a drop in her eye.
"My lord," she addressed him, "I beg you 'll excuse
What I'm going to say, for alas! I can't choose;
You must guess who this handkerchief pockets to-night
To-morrow, or die if you don't guess aright!"
She poured out a bumper, and drank it up half,
And gave the bold Prince the remainder to quaff;
Wherewith through the "back-flat" her exit she made,
And left the young gentleman rather afraid.
VIII.
When the Prince retired to bed,
He scratched, and thus bespoke his head:-