THE FLEA-BITTEN GREY. 



The pick of the stable, good, honest, and sound ; 

 How eager he was at the note of a hound ! 

 But verses can never describe or convey 

 The value I placed on the flea-bitten grey. 



I bought him at Lincoln, right out of the drove ; 

 The coper who sold him — a rum looking cove — 

 Took his oath he was everything man could require, 

 And swore he could jump every gate in the shire. 



I doubted his word, it is needless to say, 

 And gave thirty sovs. for the flea-bitten grey ; 

 His coat was so rough that it seemed to be plain 

 The horse was brought up in perpetual rain. 



His bones could be counted, each one in its place, 

 And everyone said he was quite a disgrace., 

 The clever ones all, who had mustered in force, 

 Said, " Why did you buy such a beast of a horse ? " 



We fed him with judgment and gave him his corn, 

 And taught him to gallop each day with the morn ; 

 And quickly he grew, as his skin became full. 

 With a head like a snake and a back like a bull. 



