Three Courses and a Dessert: Comprising Three Sets of Tales, West Country, Irish, and Legal; and a MelangeClarke, William
General
Three Courses and a Dessert: Comprising Three Sets of Tales, West Country, Irish, and Legal; and a Melange
Clarke, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Legal stories, English; West Country (England) -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
From his acorn-cup let the Elfin sip,
And the oak-fruit be munched by swine;
The thrush may have both the haw and hip;
Give me but the jolly vine!
3.
Ale you may brew, from the barley-straw;
Neither ale, nor grape-juice for me;
I care not for acorn, hip, nor haw;--
Give me but the apple-tree!
After they had all three repeated the last verse together, and applauded
their performance by sundry exclamations of approval, and thwacks on the
table, Ralph observed, “Oddsheart! cousin, we're getting as we should
be; a fig for a fell after this.”
“Da capo, say I to it,” exclaimed Creese; “da capo, I say to it,
heartily: da capo, as it is written in the score-book we sing the psalms
by, in the gallery, at church.”
“Wasn't frightened a trifle, landlord, when thee saw'st us coming?”
“Is the approach of a good bone likely to alarm a hungry dog?--I knew
well enough you'd fall; and if you fell, the fall must bring me grist,
in meal or malt:--a 'quest jury, if death had been done; board and
lodging, in case of broken limbs; and a brace of guests for an hour,
if you were only bruised. I shall be much obliged, when you knock
one another down again, if you'll do it before my door. Success to
cross-roads, blind galloways, helter-skelter dragooning, and blink-eyed
farmers!--Ha! ha!--You'll excuse me gentlemen; we're all friends; I hope
no offence.--What are your commands?”
“There's one thing I'd wish thee to do, landlord,” said Ralph; “if any
body should enquire for us,--don't say we be here.”
“No, truly,” added Harry; “an' thou dost, thou'lt lose a couple of good
customers, and get thy head broke to boot, perhaps.”
“Never fear--never fear!” replied Ned; “a secret's safe with me, as
though 'twaa whispered in the ear of an ass. Thank heaven, I haven't had
a woman in the house these seven yean; so all's snug.--
“A forester slept beneath the beech.
Heigh! norum snorum!
His full flask lay within his arm's reach;
Heigh! horum jorum!
A maiden came by with a blooming face,
Heigh! rosy posey!
She ask'd him the way to Berrywell Chase,--
With its wine so old,
And its pasties cold;--
Forester, what has froze ye?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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