The Glove

                                                                                THE GLOVE

        The king sat with  his courtiers . In the arena below there were ferocious lions . A lady proudly declared that her brave lover would prove her love for her by killing the hungry beasts . Let's find out what happened .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   King Francis was a hearty king , and loved a royal spot ;

And one day , as his lions strove , sat looking on the court ;

The nobles filled the benches round , the ladies by their side , 

And ' mongst them Count de Lorge , with one he hoped to make his bride . 

And truly ' twas a gallant thing , to see the crowning show ;

Valour and love , and a king above , and the royal beasts below .

Ramped and roared the lions , with horrid laughing jaws ; 

They bit , they glared , gave blows like beams , a wind went with their paws ;

With wallowing might and stifled roar they rolled one on another ,

Till all pit , with sand amd mane , was in a thound'rous smother ;

The bloody foam above the bars came whizzing through the air ;

Said Francis then , ' Good gentleman , we're better here than there ! '

De Lotge's love o'reheard the king , a beauteous lively dame .

With smiling lips , and sharp bright eyes , which always seemed the same :

She thought ,'The Count , my love , is as brave as brave can be ;

He surely would do desperate things to show his love of me !

King , ladies , lovers , all look on ; the chance is wondrous fine ,

I'll drop my glove to prove his love : great glory will be mine !'

She dropped her glove to prove his love : then looked on him and smiled ;

hw bowed , and in a moment leaped among the lions wild !

The leap was quick ; return was quick ; he soon regained his place -

Then threw the glove , but not with love , right in the lady's face !

' By Heaven ! ' cried Francis , ' rightly done ! ' and he rose from where he sat :

' No love , ' Quoth he , ' but vanity , sets love a task like that !'

                                                                                                                                 - Haarish Hassan