And now you see me painted, shine On Schweinesteiger's bran-new sign. The shepherd maidens laugh in choir, And not a mortal fears the fire Of Tazzelworm. And oft some learned chap will shout Before my eyes: 'His games played out! He lived before the flood washed round, But men of science never found A Tazzelworm.' Weak-minded sceptic! enter here, Mix up Tyróler wine and beer, But ere you come to Kuffstein--whew! You'll find that I have breathed on you, As Tazzelworm. And Klausen's landlord sad will say, 'By Jove--whence did those fellows stray? Their legs are loose--their heads arn't firm, They all have seen the Tazzelworm, The Tazzelworm.' THE MEGATHERIUM. Was hängt denn dort bewegungslos Zum Knaul zusammgeballt So riesenfaul und riesengross Im Ururururwald? Dreifach so wuchtig als ein Stier, Dreifach so schwer und dumm-- Ein Kletterthier, ein Krallenthier: Das Megatherium! Vide Cuvier, Ossemens fossiles, v. 1, p. 174. tab. 61. The Megatherium was a gigantic sloth. What hangs there like a frozen pig, Or knot all twisted rude? So giant lazy, giant big, In the prim--rim--æval wood? Thrice bigger than a bull--at least Thrice heavier, and dumb-- A climbing and a clawing beast, The Megatherium! All dreamily it opes its jaws And glares so lazily, Then digs with might its cutting claws In the Embahuba tree. It eats the fruit, it eats the leaf, Soft, happy, grunting 'Ai!' And when they're gone, as if with grief, Occasionally goes 'Wai!' But from the tree it never crawls. It knows a shorter way; For like a gourd adown it falls, And will not hence away. With owly eyes awhile it hums, Smiles wondrously and deep; For after good long feeding comes Its main hard work--to sleep. Oh, sceptic mortal--brassy, bold, Wilt thou my words deride? Go to Madrid and there behold His bones all petrified. And if thou hast before them stood, Remember these my rhymes. Such laziness held only good In antdiluvian times. Thou art no Megatherium, Thy soul has aims divine, Then mind your studies, all and some, And eat not like a swine. Use well your time--'tis money worth, Yea, work till death you see. And should you yield to sloth and mirth, Do it not sloath--somely![4] ************ [Footnote 4: In the original Und steckst Du doch im faulen Pelz So fall mit Vorsicht ab. The Gasthaus zum Faulen Pelz is a beerhouse in Heidelberg.] ************ THE BASALT.