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Which he cast off when he had a cough,
In a well which he did stand by,
Which made it look just like a brook
Running with burning brandy.

Hard by, a famous knight there dwelt,
Of whom all towns did ring,

For he could wrestle, play at quarter-staff, kick,

cuff, and huff,

Call very

bad names, do any

kind of thing.

By the tail and the main, with his hands atween,
He swung a horse till he was dead;

And that which is stranger, he for very anger,
Eat him all up but his head.

These children, as I told, being eat,

Men, women, girls, and boys,

Sighing and sobbing, came to his lodging,

And made a hideous noise;

O sore is More of More Hall,

Thou peerless knight of these woods,

Do but slay the dragon, who wont leave us a lay on, We'll give thee all our goods,

Tut, tut, said he, no goods I want,

But I want, I want, in sooth,

A fair maid of sixteen, that's brisk and keen,
With smiles about the mouth,

Hair black as sloe, skin white as snow,
With blushes her cheeks adorning,
To anoint me to-night, ere I go to fight,
And to arm me in the morning.

This being done, he did engage,
To hew the dragon down,
But first he went, new armour to
Bespeak at Sheffield town;

With spikes all about, not within but without,

Of steel so sharp and strong,

Both behind and before, on his legs and all o'er,
Some five or six inches long.

Had you but seen him in this dress,

How fierce he looked, and how big,

You would have thought him to have been no less, Than some muscovy pig.

He frightened all; cats, dogs, and all,

Each cow, each horse, and each hog,

For fear they did flee, for they took him to be
Some shocking old wizard incog.

To see this fight, all people then
Got up on trees and houses,

On churches some, and chimneys too,
But there put on their trousers,
Not to spoil their hose. As soon as he rose,
To make him strong and mighty,

He drank by the tale, six pots of ale
And a quart of aqua-vitæ.

It is not strength that always wins,
Nor art doth strength excel,

Which made our cunning champion

Creep down into a well,

Where he did think, this dragon would drink,

And so he did in truth,

And as he stooped low, he rose up and cried-boh

And hit him in the mouth.

Oh! quoth the dragon, pigs take thee without,
Who disturbed me in my drink?

And then he turned and sneezed at him,
Good lack! how did he wink!
Beshrew thy soul, thy body's foul,

Thy breath smells not like balsam,

This sneezing of thine, is far from divine,
Sure thy diet is unwholesome.

Our politick knight on the other side,
Crept out upon the brink!

And gave the dragon such a drive,

He knew not what to think!

By Jove, quoth he, say you so, do you see,
And then at him he let fly,

With hand and with foot, and so they went to it,
And the word it was, Hey boys, hey!

Your words, quoth the dragon, I don't understand,
Then to it they fell at all,

Like two wild beasts, so fierce, if I may
Compare great things with small;

Two days and nights with this dragon did fight,
Our champion on the ground,

Though their strength it was great, their skill it was real, They never had one wound.

At length the hard earth began to quake

The dragon gave him a knock,

Which made him to reel, and straitway he thought,

To lift him as high as a rock,

And thence let him fall. But More of More Hall
Like a valiant son of a flail

As he came like a lout so he turn'd him about,
And gave him a kick on the tail.

Oh! quoth the dragon, with his wings a wagging
And turned six times together

Sobbing and tearing, cursing and swearing

Out of his throat of leather,

More of More Hall-O thou rascal

Would I had seen thee never;

With the thing at thy heel, thou hast cleft my

And I am undone for ever.

Murder, murder, the dragon cry'd,

Alack, alack, for grief;

Had you but miss'd that place, you could

Have done me no mischief.

Then his head he shaked, trembled, and squeaked,

And down he laid and cry'd,

First on one knee, then on his back tumbled he

So groan'd and kick'd and died.

tail

Something about the City of Paris.

[graphic]

ARIS is the metropolis of France, as everybody knows; and is one of the richest and largest cities in Europe. It is situated in a valley, on both sides of the river Seine, which is, thereabout, the breadth of the Thames at Richmond. The river crosses from east to west, after forming three considerable islands. The communication between the banks of the river and the Islands, as well as between the different sides of the river, is effected by a great number of bridges, many of which are remarkable for the beauty of their construction. The environs do not exhibit the same variety as those of London; instead of the gardens, parks, and country seats, which surround our great metropolis, Paris on several sides presents large tracts of unenclosed corn-fields. The stream of life in the great streets, crowds of waggons, carriages, and horsemen, is not so great as in the neighbourhood of our metropolis. Most of the streets, however, are wide, watered by numerous fountains, and full of magnificent hotels and shops.

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