"Hark! hark! hark! the dogs do bark!

The Beggars have come to town,

Some in rags, and some in tags,

And some in velvet gowns."

Old Nursery Rhyme.

HALF frantic, down the city streets

The barking dogs they tore;

The dust it flew, and no man knew

The like of it before.

The St. Bernard's deep booming bass,

The hound's sepulchral howl,

The terrier-whelp's staccato yelp,

And the bull-dog's massive growl,

In chorus sounded thro' the town:

The windows up they went,

Thro' every space a gaping face

Inquiringly was bent.

The burgher's daughter clean forgot

Her snood of silk and pearls,

And, full of dread, popped out her head,

With its tumbled yellow curls.

A rosebud smote her on the lips:

Down went the rattling blind;

But still the maid, all curious, staid,

And slyly peeped behind.

A handsome lord, with smiling lips,

Leaned from the opposite tower;

Two withered hags, in dirt and rags,

Did from their garret glower.

The tailor left his goose to see,

And got his coat ablaze;

Three peasant maids, with shining braids,

Looked on in wild amaze.

The emperor's palace windows high,

All open they were set—

From the gray stone red jewels shone,

All gold and violet.

The ladies of the emperor's court

Leaned out with stately grace;

And each began her peacock fan

To wave before her face.

"Hark! hark! hark! the dogs do bark!"

The emperor left his throne

At the uproar, and on the floor

He dropped his emerald crown.

The dogs press round the city-gates,

The guards they wave them back;

But all in vain, with might and main

Dance round the yelping pack.

Hark! hark! hark! o'er growl and bark

There sounds a trumpet-call!

Now, rat-tat-tat; pray, what is' that

Outside the city-wall?

Airs from the Beggar's Opera

On broken fiddles played;

On pans they drum and wildly strum,

Filched from a dairy-maid.

With tenor-whine, and basso-groan,

The chorus is complete;

And, far and wide, there sounds beside

The tramp of many feet!

"Hark! hark! hark! the dogs do bark!"

Ah, what a horrid din!

The Beggars wait outside the gate,

And clamor to get in.

A herald to the emperor rode:

"Save! save the emerald crown!

For, hark! hark! hark! the dogs do bark!

The Beggars storm the town!"

The emperor donned his clinking mail,

Called out his royal guard,

The city-gate, with furious rate,

Went galloping toward.

A captain with a flag of truce

Thus parleyed on the wall:

"Why do ye wait outside the gate,

And why so loudly call?"

He spoke, then eyed them with dismay;

For o'er the valley spread

The clamoring crowd, and stern and proud

A king rode at their head.

In mothy ermine he was drest;

As sad a horse he rode,

With jaunty air, quite dÉbonnaire,

As ever man bestrode.

The Beggars stumped and limped behind,

With wails and whines and moans—

"Some in rags, and some in tags,

And some in velvet gowns."

A great court-beauty's splendid dress

Was there, all soiled and frayed;

The scarf, once bright, a belted knight

Wore at his accolade;

A queen's silk hose; a bishop's robe;

A monarch's funeral-pall;

The shoes, all mud, a prince-o'-the-blood

Had danced in at a ball.

The Beggars stumped and limped along,

Aping their old-time grace:

Upon the wind, flew out behind,

Ribbons of silk and lace.

A wretched company it was

Around the city gate—

The sour and sad, the sick and bad,

And all disconsolate.

But in the wretched company

There was one dainty thing:

A maiden, white as still moonlight,

Who rode beside the king.

Her hands were full of apple-flowers

Plucked in the country lanes;

Her little feet, like lilies sweet,

O'erlaced with violet veins,

Hung down beneath her tattered dress;

A bank of lilies, showed

Her shoulders fair; her dusky hair

Down to her girdle flowed.

Up spoke the haughty Beggar King:

"I want no parleying word!

Bid come to me, right speedily,

The emperor, your Lord!"

Wide open flew the city-gate!

Out rode the emperor bold;

His war-horse pranced and lightly danced

Upon his hoofs of gold.

"What wouldest thou, O Beggar King!

What wouldest thou with me?

For all the gold the town doth hold

Would not suffice for thee."

"Beholdest thou my daughter dear,

O emperor! by my side?

Though wild the rose, it sweetly grows,

And she shall be thy bride,

"And thou shalt seat her on thy throne

When thou thy troth hast pledged,

Her beauty grace with gems and lace,

And robes with ermine edged;

"Or else, on thee, O emperor!

Like locusts we'll come down,

And naught that's fair or rich or rare

We'll leave within the town!

Original

"The children all shall lack for food,

And the lords and ladies pine;

For we will eat your dainties sweet,

And drink your red old wine!

"Now, what say'st thou, O emperor?—

Wed thou mv daughter dear,

To-morrow day, by dawning gray,

Thy borders shall be clear."

The emperor looked upon the maid:

She shyly dropped her head;

Her apple-flowers fell down in showers,

Her soft white cheeks grew red.

The emperor loved her at the sight:

"I take your terms!" cried he;

"Nor wilt thou fear, O maiden dear!

To wed to-night with me?"

Her long, dark lashes swept her cheek;

A word she could not find,

For to and fro her thoughts did blow,

Like lilies in a wind.

She toward him reached her little hand,

Then—drew it back again;

She smiled and sighed—all satisfied,

He grasped her bridle-rein.

Then clattered courtiers thro' the street,

Fast ran the folk, I ween,

And under feet strewed roses sweet,

And boughs of apple-green.

The emperor, on his gold-shod horse,

Came pacing thro' the town,

And by his side his timid bride

Rode in her tattered gown.

A crocus-broidered petticoat,

Robes stiff with threads of gold,

The maids found soon, and satin shoon,

And lace in spices rolled.

They led the trembling beggar-maid

All gently up the stair,

Thro' golden doors with sills of flowers,

Into a chamber fair.

They loosed from her her faded gear;

They kissed her gentle face;

From head to feet clad her so sweet

In linen fine and lace;

They clasped her golden-threaded robe—

"Darling, thou art so fair!"

With strings of pearls, amid the curls,

They dressed her flowing hair.

"Now, pardy!" cried the emperor,

"The rose-tree is in flower!

In the world green was never seen

Queen half so sweet before!"

The people, dressed as for a feast,

Thronged round the palace doors;

Original

The minstrels sung, the joy-bells rung,

The roses fell in showers.

The Beggar King looked toward the town:

"Farewell, my daughter dear!"

The east was gray—he rode away,

And swallowed down a tear.