Thrice muttered words I care not to repeat;
Then murmuring his mother's name three times,
Made up his mind to slaughter three more foes.
So thrice again his spear was launched in space,
And three miles off, within Troy's triple walls,
Three widows, each with children three, were left
To mourn that he, Achilles, had not thought
Four times that afternoon instead of three."
From Funny Folks.