Volume I Part 24 (2/2)

”In our lands be Beeres and Lyons of dyvers colours as ye redd, grene, black, and white. And in our land be also unicornes and these Unicornes slee many Lyons.... Also there dare no man make a lye in our lande, for if he dyde he sholde incontynent be sleyn.”--_Mediaeval Epistle, of Pope Prester John._

I

Across the seas of Wonderland to Mogadore we plodded, Forty singing seamen in an old black barque, And we landed in the twilight where a Polyphemus nodded With his battered moon-eye winking red and yellow through the dark!

For his eye was growing mellow, Rich and ripe and red and yellow, As was time, since old Ulysses made him bellow in the dark!

_Cho._--Since Ulysses bunged his eye up with a pine-torch in the dark!

II

_Were_ they mountains in the gloaming or the giant's ugly shoulders Just beneath the rolling eyeball, with its bleared and vinous glow, Red and yellow o'er the purple of the pines among the boulders And the s.h.a.ggy horror brooding on the sullen slopes below, _Were_ they pines among the boulders Or the hair upon his shoulders?

We were only simple seamen, so of course we didn't know.

_Cho._--We were simple singing seamen, so of course we couldn't know.

III

But we crossed a plain of poppies, and we came upon a fountain Not of water, but of jewels, like a spray of leaping fire; And behind it, in an emerald glade, beneath a golden mountain There stood a crystal palace, for a sailor to admire; For a troop of ghosts came round us, Which with leaves of bay they crowned us, Then with grog they well nigh drowned us, to the depth of our desire!

_Cho._--And 'twas very friendly of them, as a sailor can admire!

IV

There was music all about us, we were growing quite forgetful We were only singing seamen from the dirt of London-town, Though the nectar that we swallowed seemed to vanish half regretful As if we wasn't good enough to take such vittles down, When we saw a sudden figure, Tall and black as any n.i.g.g.e.r, Like the devil--only bigger--drawing near us with a frown!

_Cho._--Like the devil--but much bigger--and he wore a golden crown!

V

And ”What's all this?” he growls at us! With dignity we chaunted, ”Forty singing seamen, sir, as won't be put upon!”

”What? Englishmen?” he cries, ”Well, if ye don't mind being haunted, Faith you're welcome to my palace; I'm the famous Prester John!

Will ye walk into my palace?

I don't bear 'ee any malice!

One and all ye shall be welcome in the halls of Prester John!”

_Cho._--So we walked into the palace and the halls of Prester John!

VI

Now the door was one great diamond and the hall a hollow ruby-- Big as Beachy Head, my lads, nay bigger by a half!

And I sees the mate wi' mouth agape, a-staring like a b.o.o.by, And the skipper close behind him, with his tongue out like a calf!

Now the way to take it rightly Was to walk along politely Just as if you didn't notice--so I couldn't help but laugh!

_Cho._--For they both forgot their manners and the crew was bound to laugh!

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