THE LAY OF SAINT LINGO. 



207 



Serpent born in ocean's caverns, 

 Cominfj forth from the ]>lack 



Water, 

 Had devoured the little Eindos — 

 Broods of callow little Bindos 

 Wailing sadly by the sea-shore, 

 In the absence of their parents. 

 Eighth this brood Avas. Stood 



our Lingo, 

 Stood he pondering beside them — 

 " If I take these little wretches 

 In the absence of their parents 

 They will call me thief and robber. 

 No ! I'll wait till they come back 



here." 

 Then he laid him down and 



slumbered 

 By the little Availing Bindos. 



As he slept the dreadful serpent. 

 Rising, came from the Black 



Water, 

 Came to eat the callow Bindos, 

 In the absence of their parents. 

 Came he trunkdike from the 



Avaters, 

 Came Avith fearful jaws distended, 

 Huge and horrid. Like a basket 

 For the winnowing of corn 

 Rose a hood of vast dimensions 

 O'er his fierce and dreadful visage. 

 Shrieked the Bindos young and 



calloAv, 

 Gave a cry of lamentation ; 

 Rose our Lingo ; saw the Monster; 

 Drew an arrow from his quiver, 

 Shot it SAvift into his stomach, 

 Sharp and cutting in the stomach, 

 Then another and another ; 

 Cleft him into seven pieces ; 

 AVriggled all the seven pieces, 

 AVriggled backAvards to the Avater. 

 But our Lingo, swift advancing. 

 Seized the head-piece in his arms, 

 Knocked the brains out on a 



boulder, 

 Laid it down beside the Bindos, 



CalloAv Availing little Bindos. 

 ( )n it laid him, like a pilloAv, 

 And began again to slumber. 



Soon returned the ]iarent Bindos 

 From their hunting in the. forest ; 

 Bringing brains and eyes of camels, 

 And of elephants prodigious, 

 For their little calloAv ]5indos 

 Availing sadly by the sea-shore. 

 But the Bindos young and callow 

 Brains of camels Avould not 



SAvalloAv ; 

 Said — " A pretty set of parents 

 You are truly ! thus to leave us 

 Sadly Availing by the sea-shore 

 To be eaten by the serpent — 

 BhaAA-arnag the dreadful serpent — 

 Came he up from the Black Water, 

 Came to eat us little Bindos, 

 When this very valiant Lingo 

 Shot an arroAv in his stomach, 

 Cut him into seven pieces — 

 Give to Lingo brains of camels, 

 Eyes of elephants prodigious." 

 Then the fond paternal Bindo 

 SaAV the head-piece of the serpent 

 Under Lingo's head a pilloAv. 

 And he said, " valiant Lingo, 

 Ask Avhatever you may Avish for." 

 Then he asked the little Bindos 

 For an offering to the Great God. 

 And the fond paternal Bindo, 

 Much disgusted, first refusing. 

 Soon consented ; said he'd go too 

 With the fond maternal Bindo — 

 Take them all upon his shoulders, 

 And fly straight to DeAvalgiri. 

 Then he spread his mighty pinions. 

 Took his Bindos up on one side 

 And our Lingo on the other. 

 Thus they soared aAvay together 

 From the shores of the Black 



Water. 

 And the fond maternal Bindo, 

 O'er them hovering, spread an 



aAvninsc 



