Once the Lion invited to hunt and to dine, And to taste a few skins of his favourite wine, All his friends of the forest--who said they'd be there, In the sports of the chase and the victuals to share; Then the cunning fox scampered the country around, Just to stop up the holes, and survey well the ground; While the wolves have agreed to act dogs for the day, And the jackall has orders to search out for prey. There's his highness, Lord Camel, and Sir Grisly Bear, With his tall Polish friend, who continues to wear That long warm furry mantle, which looks just like snow, And descends in short flakes till it wraps round each toe. Majors Leopard and Tiger, just fresh from Bombay, Of the proud native corps, have, undoubted, the sway, Who would rather prefer to lie dead on the field Than retreat from the foe, or the slightest point yield. Count Panther and young Lord Hyena together Are chatting, and making remarks on the weather; The Count thinks it will rain, though at present 'tis clear; While Lord Hyena laughs at the very idea. The Grand Sultan Elephant cannot go out To the hunt, as he has an attack of the gout; But says of objections he has not the least To come in at the death, and make one at the feast. Now before they set out, just by way of a lunch, Of bread and of buffalo each takes a hunch; With strong bottled stout of Dame Lion's own brewing, From wild roots extracted, by boiling or stewing. "To the chase!" cried the king; "to the chase! to the chase! Time is running along at a steam-engine pace; Some hours will be left still for eating and drinking, At the close of the day, when old Sol is a-sinking." "Swift away, then, away! to the forest away!" Exclaims each noble guest; "let us banish delay." Mr. Jackall just then of some prey caught the scent, And the wolves, too, appeared on some sport all intent; So away they dash over the tall mountain's brow; Tally-ho! tally-ho! they are in the chase now; With roaring and yelling the woods are resounding, O'er hedges and ditches like wild steeds they're bounding, Through forests, through brushwood, through brambles, and brier, No danger can daunt, no fatigue can them tire; Till a beautiful deer lies defunct on the ground, While the wolves are lip-smacking and howling around. The next moment young Reynard aroused from its lair, From just under their noses, a splendid large hare; Who scampers away over two or more fields, When his life to the fangs of his deadly foe yields. Tally-ho! tally-ho! two fine bucks are now seen, One has taken the water, the other the green. In pursuit they divide--in a dish such a pair Would for even a monarch be delicate fare. Through the stream, o'er the glade, up the hill's rugged side, Down the vale, o'er the plain, like Niagara's tide, On, resistless, they roll; till their furious speed Has o'ertaken their victims; and now they must bleed. Like the torrent they fell, and quite spent on the ground, Overthrown and downcast they expired with a bound.