LESSON 48 JOHN GILPIN

JOHN GILPIN

Ⅲ

HOW HE RETURNED

The kindly calender lent John another hat and wig, and invited him to stop and rest; but—

SAID John, "It is my wedding-day,

And all the world would stare,

If wife should dine at Edmonton,

And I should dine at Ware."

So turning to his horse, he said,

I am in haste to dine; 'Twas for your pleasure you came here; You shall go back for mine. Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast! For which he paid full dear; For, while he spake, a braying ass Did sing most loud and clear; Whereat his horse did snort, as he Had heard a lion roar; And galloped off with all his might, As he had done before. Away went Gilpin, and away Went Gilpin's hat and wig: He lost them sooner than at first; For why?—they were too big. Now Mistress Gilpin, when she saw Her husband posting ［1］ clown Into the country far away, She pulled out half a crown; And thus unto the youth she said That drove them to the Bell, This shall be yours, when you bring back

My husband safe and well."

The youth did ride, and soon did meet

John coming back amain ［2］ ,

Whom in a trice ［3］ he tried to stop,

By catching at his rein;

But not performing what he meant,

And gladly would have done,

The frightened steed he frighted more,

And made him faster run.

Away went Gilpin, and away

Went postboy ［4］ at his heels,

The postboy's horse right glad to miss

The lumbering ［5］ of the wheels.

Six gentlemen upon the road,

Thus seeing Gilpin fly,

With postboy scampering in the rear,

They raised the hue and cry:

Stop thief! stop thief!—a highwayman!

Not one of them was mute ［6］ ;

And all and each that passed that way

Did join in the pursuit.

And now the turnpike ［7］ gates again

Flew open in short space;

The toll-men ［8］ thinking, as before,

That Gilpin rode a race.

And so he did, and won it too,

For he got first to town;

Nor stopped till, where he had got up,

He did again get down.

Now let us sing, Long live the King!

And Gilpin, long live he!

And, when he next doth ride abroad,

May I be there to see!

—WILLIAM COWPER

* * *

［1 ］ posting: Hastening on horseback; galloping.

［2 ］ amain: Headlong, at a great pace.

［3 ］ in a trice: Straightway, in an instant.

［4 ］ postboy: A boy who rides alongside the post chaise.

［5 ］ lumbering: Moving heavily.

［6 ］ mutemute: Silent, dumb.

［7 ］ turnpike: Turnstile; a gate in the road where a toll is paid.

［8 ］ toll-men: The men who take the toll.