Rhymes from the Russian

by Unknown

“Why stand ye a terrified group on the shore?

Ye have ne’er seen a beauty like this one before.”

Back glanceth the Prince, with delight, on his prize;

But the proud look of triumph soon fades from his eyes.

With a shudder he sees on the golden sand trail

A fearsome sea-monster, with hideous green tail—

A tail covered over with scales like a snake,

Its quivering coils in death-agony shake.

The foam from her forehead is pouring in streams,

And the darkness of death from her closing eye gleams;