622 Tha Birth of Cervantes ; [DEC, 



But a story true of Spain, 



All of love fond, fiendish, furious, 

 Brought in three ships o'er the main: 



Listen, all ye tender curious ! 

 Don Rodriguez was a Spaniard, 



With a skin the stoutest leather, 

 Browned in Cordova's best tan-yard, 



Never more scorned wind and weather. 



And he had an eye ye skies, 



Be ashamed of all your stars ! 

 E'en the last new comet dies 



Before thy optics, man of scars ! 

 Then his bosom human target 



Every Moor that had a bullet 

 At this bulPs-eye would discharge it : 



Coolly out the Don would pull it ! 



When he rode, his armour's clank 



1 Woke the world some leagues before him ; 

 Where he trod, the high road sank 



Saints, preserve the beast that bore him ! 

 Bridges where his foot was set, 



PlumpM headforemost in the water; 

 Half a Moorman was his whet 



Dinner, was the wife and daughter ! 



Love his mighty heart subdued, 

 Every day his cheek grew whiter ; 



Lastly, he fell off his food- 

 Woman came to bite the biter. 



For the Don loved Lady Zara 

 Prettiest damsel that wore green 



'Twixt Arragon and Albuera, 

 ('Twas said a daughter of the queen,. 



I from my soul abhor all scandal. 



Though what I know I know like others; 

 I hate the world's edge-tools to handle, 



So shun all talk of wives or mothers. 

 The master of the ceremonies 



A fellow great in snuff and whisker ; 

 (Yet all the fact by mortals knpv/n is, 



His pocket suddenly grew brisker). 



Until his Majesty Saints bless him ! 



With horsewhip, kick, and bamboo cane, 

 Took heart one ev'ning to confess him ; 



At least so runs the tale in Spain ; 

 At least there was no ceremony 



Between them on that high occasion ; 

 One kept the wife one kept the money : 



The better bargain, saith Vespasian. 



Sweet Zara, like a water-lily, 



Qrew up in beauty day by day, 

 Making the wisest Moors look silly 



(The oldest cats with mice will play). 

 Her cheek, though not much given to blushes, 



(The climate dealing in brunettes^, 

 Yet had its own delightful flushes, 



That neither eye nor heart forgets. 



