How would he have joyed at this sweet sight? But ah! false Fortune such joy did him spite, And cut off his days with untimely woe, Betraying him into the trains of his foe. Now I, a wailful widow behight, Of my old age have this one delight, To see thee succeed in thy father's stead, And flourish in flowers of lustihead; For even so thy father his head upheld, And so his haughty horns did he weld." Then marking him with melting eyes, A thrilling throb from her heart did arise, And interrupted all her other speech With some old sorrow that made a new breach; Seemed she saw in her youngling's face The old lineaments of his father's grace. At last her sullen silence she broke, And gan his new-budded beard to stroke. "Kiddie," (quoth she,) "thou kenst the great care I have of thy health and thy welfare, Which many wild beasts liggen in wait For to entrap in thy tender state: But most the Fox, master of collusion; For he has vowed thy last confusion. Forthy, my Kiddie, be rul'd by me, And never give trust to his treachery; And, if he chance come when I am abroad, Sperr the gate fast, for fear of fraud; Ne for all his worst, nor for his best, Open the door at his request." So schooled the Goat her wanton son, That answer'd his mother, all should be done. Then went the pensive dam out of door, And chanc'd to stumble at the threshold floor; Her stumbling step somewhat her amazed, (For such, as signs of ill luck, be dispraised;) Yet forth she yode, thereat half aghast; And Kiddie the door sperred after her fast. It was not long, after she was gone, But the false Fox came to the door anone; Not as a fox, for then he had be kend, But all as a poor pedlar he did wend, Bearing a truss of trifles at his back, As bells, and babes, and glasses, in his pack: A biggen he had got about his brain, For in his headpiece he felt a sore pain: His hinder heel was wrapt in a clout, For with great cold he had got the gout: There at the door he cast me down his pack, And laid him down, and groaned, "Alack! alack! Ah! dear Lord! and sweet Saint Charity! That some good body would once pity me!" Well heard Kiddie all this sore constraint, And long'd to know the cause of his complaint; Then, creeping close behind the wicket's clink, Privily he peeped out through a chink, Yet not so privily but the Fox him spied; For deceitful meaning is double-eyed. "Ah! good young master," (then gan he cry,) "Jesus bless that sweet face I espy, And keep your corpse from the careful stounds That in my carrion carcase abounds." The Kid, pitying his heaviness, Asked the cause of his great distress, And also who, and whence that he were. Then he, that had well yconn'd his lere, Thus medled his talk with many a tear: