“To discover the offender, “Made we our belovèd daughter “Sleep beside the treasure; but he “Robb’d her too, and napping caught her. “Now, to check this wholesale plunder, “And to show our deep affection “For the thief, our admiration, “And our grateful recollection, “We will give our only daughter “As his lawful wife--God bless her!-- “And to princely rank promote him, “Owning him as our successor. “Since our son-in-law’s abode is “Unknown to us just at present, “This our rescript shall inform him “That we’ve now made all things pleasant. “Done the third of January “Thirteen hundred twenty-six “Years before Christ; here our seal we, “King Rhampsenitus, affix.” And he kept his word; the thief he As his son-in-law soon counted, And when he was dead, the robber On the throne of Egypt mounted. And he ruled like other monarchs, Trade and talent patronizing, And the fewness of the robb’ries In his reign was quite surprising. THE WHITE ELEPHANT. Great Mahawasant, of Siam the King, Has half of India under his wing; Twelve kings, with the Great Mogul, obey His rule, and acknowledge his sovereign sway. Each year with banner, trumpet, and drum To Siam the trains with the tribute come; Many thousand camels, with backs piled high With the costliest treasures of earth, draw nigh. When the camels he sees with their heavy piles, The soul of the King in secret smiles; But in public in truth he always deplores That his storehouses serve not to hold all his stores. Yet these storehouses all are so lofty and spacious, So full of magnificence, so capacious, The reality’s splendour surpasses in glory The Arabian Nights’ most wondrous story. The “Castle of Indra” call they the hall In which are display’d the deities all, The golden images, chisell’d with care, And all incrusted with jewels so fair. Full thirty thousand their numbers are, Their ugliness passes description far; A compound of men and animals dread, With many a hand and many a head. In the “Hall of purple” one wond’ringly sees Some thirteen hundred coral trees, As big as palms, a singular sight, With spiral branches, a forest bright. The floor of purest crystal is made, And all the trees are in it display’d, While pheasants of glittering plumage gay Strut up and down in a dignified way. The ape on which the monarch doth dote A ribbon of silk wears round his throat, Whence hangs the key that opens the hall Which people the “Chamber of Slumber” call. All kinds of jewels of value high All over the ground here scatter’d lie Like common peas, with diamonds rare That in size with the egg of a fowl compare.