An Extempore
When
they
were
come
into
Faery's
Court
They
rang
--
no
one
at
home
--
all
gone
to
sport
And
dance
and
kiss
and
love
as
faerys
do
For
Faries
be
as
human
lovers
true
--
Amid
the
woods
they
were
so
lone
and
wild
Where
even
the
Robin
feels
himself
exil'd
And
where
the
very
books
as
if
affraid
Hurry
along
to
some
less
magic
shade.
'No
one
at
home'!
the
fretful
princess
cry'd
'And
all
for
nothing
such
a
dre[a]ry
ride
And
all
for
nothing
my
new
diamond
cross
No
one
to
see
my
persian
feathers
toss
No
one
to
see
my
Ape,
my
Dwarf,
my
Fool
Or
how
I
pace
my
Otaheitan
mule.
Ape,
Dwarf
and
Fool
why
stand
you
gaping
there
Burst
the
door
open,
quick
--
or
I
declare
I'll
switch
you
soundly
and
in
pieces
tear.'
The
Dwarf
began
to
tremble
and
the
Ape
Star'd
at
the
Fool,
the
Fool
was
all
agape
The
Princess
grasp'd
her
switch
but
just
in
time
The
Dwarf
with
piteous
face
began
to
rhyme.
"O
mighty
Princess
did
you
ne'er
hear
tell
What
your
poor
servants
know
but
too
too
well
Know
you
the
three
great
crimes
in
faery
land
The
first
alas!
poor
Dwarf
I
understand
I
made
a
whipstock
of
a
faery's
wand
The
next
is
snoring
in
their
company
The
next
the
last
the
direst
of
the
three
Is
making
free
when
they
are
not
at
home.
I
was
a
Prince
--
a
baby
prince
--
my
doom
You
see,
I
made
a
whipstock
of
a
wand
My
top
has
henceforth
slept
in
faery
land.
He
was
a
Prince
the
Fool,
a
grown
up
Prince
But
he
has
never
been
a
King's
son
since
He
fell
a
snoring
at
a
faery
Ball
Your
poor
Ape
was
a
Prince
and
he
poor
thing
But
ape
--
so
pray
your
highness
stay
awhile
'Tis
sooth
indeed
we
know
it
to
our
sorrow
--
Persist
and
you
may
be
an
ape
tomorrow
--
While
the
Dwarf
spake
the
Princess
all
for
spite
Peal'd
the
brown
hazel
twig
to
lilly
white
Clench'd
her
small
teeth,
and
held
her
lips
apart
Try'd
to
look
unconcerned
with
beating
heart.
They
saw
her
highness
had
made
up
her
mind
And
quaver'd
like
the
reeds
before
the
wind
And
they
had
had
it,
but
O
happy
chance
The
Ape
for
very
fear
began
to
dance
And
grin'd
as
all
his
uglyness
did
ache--
She
staid
her
vixen
fingers
for
his
sake
He
was
so
very
ugly:
then
she
took
Her
pocket
mirror
and
began
to
look
First
at
herself
and
[then]
at
him
and
then
She
smil'd
at
her
own
beauteous
face
again.
Yet
for
all
this
--
for
all
her
pretty
face
She
took
it
in
her
head
to
see
the
place.
Women
gain
little
from
experience
Either
in
Lovers,
husbands
or
expense.
The
more
their
beauty
the
more
fortune
too
Beauty
before
the
wide
world
never
knew.
So
each
fair
reasons
--
tho'
it
oft
miscarries.
She
thought
her
pretty
face
would
please
the
fa[e]ries.
"My
darling
Ape
I
wont
whip
you
today
Give
me
the
Picklock
sirrah
and
go
play."
They
all
three
wept
but
counsel
was
as
vain
As
crying
cup
biddy
to
drops
of
rain.
Yet
lingeringly
did
the
sad
Ape
forth
draw
The
Picklock
from
the
Pocket
in
his
Jaw.
The
Princess
took
it
and
dismounting
straight
Trip'd
in
blue
silver'd
slippers
to
the
gate
And
touch'd
the
wards,
the
Door
full
courteously
Opened
--
she
enter'd
with
her
servants
three.
Again
it
clos'd
and
there
was
nothing
seen
But
the
Mule
grasing
on
the
herbage
green.
End
of
Canto
xii.
Canto
the
xiii.
The
Mule
no
sooner
saw
himself
alone
Than
he
prick'd
up
his
Ears
--
and
said
'well
done!
At
least
unhappy
Prince
I
may
be
free
--
No
more
a
Princess
shall
side
saddle
me
O
King
of
Othaiete
--
tho'
a
Mule
'Aye
every
inch
a
King'
--
tho'
'Fortune's
fool.'
Well
done
--
for
by
what
Mr.
Dwarfy
said
I
would
not
give
a
sixpence
for
her
head.'
Even
as
he
spake
he
trotted
in
high
glee
To
the
knotty
side
of
an
old
Pollard
tree
And
rub'd
his
sides
against
the
mossed
bark
Till
his
Girths
burst
and
left
him
naked
stark
Except
his
Bridle
--
how
get
rid
of
that
Buckled
and
tied
with
many
a
twist
and
plait.
At
last
it
struck
him
to
pretend
to
sleep
And
then
the
thievish
Monkies
down
would
creep
And
filch
the
unpleasant
trammels
quite
away.
No
sooner
thought
of
than
adown
he
lay
Sham'd
a
good
snore
--
the
Monkey-men
descended
And
whom
they
thought
to
injure
they
befriended.
They
hung
his
Bridle
on
a
topmost
bough
And
of[f]
he
went
run,
trot,
or
anyhow--
