THE LAY OF SAINT LINGO 



167 



Readied the brink of the Black 



Water, . 

 Pound the Bindo birds were ab- 

 sent 

 From their nest upon the sea- 

 shore. 

 Absent hunting in the forest, 

 Hunting elephants prodigious, 

 Which they killed and took their 



brains out, 

 Cracked their skulls, and brought 



their brains to 

 Feed their callow little Bindos, 

 Wailing sadly by the sea-shore. 

 Seven times a fearful serpent, 

 Bhawamag the horrid serpent. 

 Serpent bom in ocean's caverns. 

 Coming forth from the Black 



Water, 

 Had devoured the little Bindos — • 

 Broods of callow little Bindos 

 Wailing sadly by the sea-shore. 

 In the absence of their parents. 

 Eighth this brood was. Stood 



our Lingo, 

 Stood he pondering beside them — 

 "HI take these little wretches 

 In the absence of their parents 

 They will call me thief and robber. 

 No ! I'll wait tiU they come back 



here." 

 Then he laid him down and 



slumbered 

 By the little wailing Bindos. 



As he slept the dreadful serpent, 

 Eising, came from the Black 



Water, 

 Came to eat the callow Bindos, 

 In the absence of their parents. 

 Came he trunk-like from the 



waters, 

 Came with fearful jaws distended. 

 Huge and horrid. Like a basket 

 For the winnowing of com 

 Rose a hood of vast dimensions 

 O'er his fierce and dreadful visage. 

 Shrieked the Bindos young and 



callow. 

 Gave a cry of lamentation ; 



Rose our Lingo ; saw the Monster; 

 Drew an arrow from his quiver. 

 Shot it swift into his stomach. 

 Sharp and cutting in the stomach. 

 Then another and another ; 

 Cleft him into seven pieces ; 

 Wriggled all the seven pieces. 

 Wriggled backwards to the water. 

 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, 

 Callow wailing little Bindos. 

 On it laid him, like "a pillow, 

 And began again to slumber. 



Soon returned the parent Bindos 

 From their hunting in the forest; 

 Bringing brains and eyes of camels. 

 And of elephants prodigious. 

 For their little caUow Bindos 

 Wailing sadly by the sea-shore. 

 But the Bindos young and callow 

 Brains of camels would not 



swallow ; 

 Said—" A pretty set of parents 

 You are truly 1 thus to leave us 

 Sadly waiUng by the sea-shore 

 To be eaten by the serpent — 

 BhawamAg the dreadful serpent — 

 Came he up from the Black Water, 

 Came to eat us little Bindos, 

 When this very valiant Lingo 

 Shot an arrow in his stomach. 

 Cut him into seven pieces — 

 Grive to Lingo brains of camels. 

 Eyes of elephants prodigious." 

 Then the fond paternal Bindo 

 Saw the head-piece of the serpent 

 Under Lingo's head a pillow. 

 And he said, " valiant Lingo, 

 Ask whatever you may wish for." 

 Then he asked the little Bindos 

 For an ofEering to the Great God. 

 And the fond patemal Bindo, 

 Much disgusted, first refusing, 

 Soon consented ; said he'd go too 

 With the fond maternal Bindo — 

 Take them all upon his shoulders, 



