And drank it all off in one long, hearty sup!
It tasted so queerly; and what could it be?
He wondered. It neither was water nor tea!
Just then a thought struck him and filled him with fear:
"Oh! it must be the poison for rats, I declare!"
And loudly he called on his dear, sleeping wife,
And begged her to rise; "for," said he, "on my life
I fear it was poison the bowl did contain.
Oh dear! yes, it was poison; I now feel the pain!"
"And what made you dry, sir?" the wife sharply cried.