_Rem. (sings_). 'Mid damp clay and sandy chalk, and blue slate and loam, Be it ever so Roman, there'll be no town like Rome. So all do your worst, we care not who come, There's no town like Rome, there's no town like Rome. Rome! Rome! Great, great Rome! There's no town like Rome, there's no town like Rome. _Chorus, disgusted_. How do these busy little lads Delight to toil and fag, And swagger like a pair of cads, And boast and crow and brag. (_Exeunt with their noses in the air_.) _Rom_. Thank goodness they are gone. Now, old chap, to work. Sit up! you're getting lazy. Come, don't shirk. _Rem. (turning red_). I getting lazy! Like your awful cheek! I've done more in a day than you in a week. _Rom_. Ha, ha! ho, he! My! that's a pretty joke. Look what I've done. _You've_ hardly done a stroke. _Rem_. If that's your tune, you're free to do it all. _Your_ work, indeed! Do you call _this_ a wall? I'd hop it on one foot. Ho, ho! A pretty town. A puff of wind would blow your rampart down. _Rom_. Hop it, you ass? I'd like to see you try. I promise you shall know the reason why. _Rem. (laughing_). Stupid old Romulus Sat on a tumulus Trying to build a town, There came this young brother, One foot over t'other, And knocked his precious wall down. Hurroo! here goes! stand clear! this for your wall! What care I if from now to Christmas Day you bawl? (_Hops over the wall, knocking off the top course_.) Missed it! Hard luck! I'll try again! Stand by! I guess I ought to clear what's barely three feet high. _Rom. (aside_). I've stood this long enough! The time has come When I or Remus, single-handed, must build Rome. Ho! stay thy impious foot, thou scoffing mule, Or I will slay thee! Cease to play the fool! _Rem. (sings_). Over the city wall, over the city wall, See how we bump, hop, skip, and jump, Over the city wall. (_Jumps again_) _Rom. (picking up a scaffolding-pole_). Thy doom is sealed! I said I'd kill thee! Ha! 'Tis thy last jump! Thou hoppest never more! (_Knocks him on the head.) Rem_. I've overdone it! Now I'm slain! Alas! I do repent that I have played the ass! (_Dies_.) _Rom. (sings_). Remus he would a-fooling go (Heigh-ho! says Romly), Whether his brother could stand it or no, With a Romly, Remy, Roman, and Grecian. (Heigh-ho! says Romulus Romly.) _Enter She-wolf suddenly_. _Wolf_. Hullo, my lad! I've caught you then at last! I've waited twenty years to break my fast. It's hungry work. But now I've got you. Come. Don't kick, 'twill hurt the more. Fe, fi, fo, fum! 1. A classical quotation having special reference to the anticipation of a good square meal. _Rom_. Oh, please it wasn't me! See, there's my brother, He's far more on his bones than me, my dear stepmother!