THE LAY OF SAINT LINGO 



169 



Spied the sixteen scores of Rohees, 

 Roiees in the shade reclining, 

 Rohees sleeping, Rohees frisking 

 In the forest shade primeval. 

 Then said Lingo to the Brothers — 

 " Take your bows and take your 



arrows ; 

 Quickly get ye round about them, 

 To the four sides of the Rohees. 

 Slay and spare not, smite the 



rascals ! 

 Hence my bolts I will deliver." 

 Then the Brothers stalked around 



them, 

 To the four sides of the Rohees ; 

 Thence their bulrush shafts 



delivered ; 

 Shot our Lingo from the Peepul. 

 Smitten were the herd of Rohees, 

 Only Mdman, Uncle Maman, 

 And one httle female Rohee, 

 Of those sixteen scores remainfed. 

 Then our Lingo aimed an arrow 

 At that Uncle, ancient Maman ; 

 But the arrow from his hand fell. 

 Thought he, surely here's an omen 

 That this very ancient Maman 

 Of our rice has nothing taken. 

 Then to run began the Rohee, 

 Female Rohee that remained; 

 And to run began the Uncle. 

 Brothers all behind them followed, 

 Shouting " Catch them " to each 



other. 

 But they vanished and were seen 



not. 

 And the Brothers, much disgusted. 

 Back returned to their Lingo. 

 Then said Lingo, " Search ye, 



Brethren, 

 For a firebox in your waistbelts." 

 Flints and steel they forthwith 



brought out, 

 Struck a spark among the tinder, 

 But the tinder would not bum. 

 Thus the whole night long they 



tried it. 

 Tried in vain until the morning. 

 When they flung away the tinder. 



And to Lingo said, " Brother, 

 You're a prophet, can you tell 



us 

 Why we caimot light this tiader ? " 

 Answered Lingo, " Three coss 



onward 

 Lives the Giant Rikad Gowree, 

 He the very dreadful Monster, 

 He the terrible Devourer. 

 In his field a fire is smoking ; 

 Thither go and fetch a firebrand." 

 Then the Brothers went a little, 

 Went a very little, onwards ; 

 Thence returned, and said to 



Lingo — 

 " Nowhere saw we Rikad Gowree, 

 Nowhere have we found this 



Giant." 

 Then said Lingo, " Lo my arrow, 

 By its pathway see ye follow." 

 Then he fitted to his bowstring 

 Shaft of bulrush straight and 



slender ; 

 Shot it through the forest thickets. 

 Shot it cleaving through the 



branches, 

 Shot it shearing aU the grass 



down; 

 Cut a pathway straight and easy ; 

 Fell it right into the fireplace 

 Of the Giant Rikad Gowree ; 

 Fell, and glanced it from the fire- 

 place. 

 Glanced, and sped into the door- 

 way 

 Of the wigwam of the Giant ; 

 Fell before the seven daughters. 

 Seven very nice young women. 

 Daughters fair of Rikad Gowree. 

 Then those seven nice young 



women 

 Took the arrow and concealed it. 

 For they oft had asked the old 



man. 

 Asked him when they would be 



married ; 

 And he always answered gruffly, 

 " When I choose that you be 



married 



