Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE THREE GOOD DAYS; A LEGEND OF ITALY, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE THREE GOOD DAYS; A LEGEND OF ITALY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: In casena dwelt a widow
Last Line: How his lucky days had come!
Subject(s): Legends, Italian


IN Casena dwelt a widow;
Worldly fortune she had none;
Nor a single near relation
Save her silly, idle son.

Little heeded he her counsel
When she bade him stir about, --
Ever yawning, dozing, sleeping,
Like a good-for-nothing lout.

Oft and oft his mother told him
(Dame Lucetta was her name),
"Rise, Lucello! (so she called him),
Get thee out, -- for very shame!

"See, the sun is high in heaven!
Quit, my boy, your lazy bed;
Go and seek some honest labor;
So good days shall crown your head."

Much the foolish fellow marveled
What "good days" might chance to be;
When, at last, the lad determined
He would even go and see.

So, next morning, lo! the sluggard,
Rising lazily and late,
Sauntered forth, and on, and onward.
Till he reached the city gate.

Here Lucello, tired with walking
In the sultry summer heat,
Straightway laid him down to slumber
Right across the trodden street!

Now it chanced three wicked robbers,
Coming from the secret place
Where their stolen wealth was buried,
Met the stranger face to face.

And the first, as he was passing,
Seeing some one in the way
(For he stumbled on the sleeper),
Bade him civilly, "Good day!"

"There is one!" Lucello answered,
Minding what the dame had said,
How "good days," for good behavior,
Were to crown his lucky head.

But the robber, conscience-smitten
Touching the unlawful pelf,
Deemed the words the lad had spoken
Plainly pointed to himself!

Soon another robber, passing,
His "Good day" was fain to give;
"Here is luck!" exclaimed Lucello,
"That's the second, as I live!"

Trembling, now the rogues awaited
The arrival of the third,
When again "Good day" was given,
Which with joy Lucello heard.

"Number three, by all that's lucky!"
Cried the boy, with keen delight;
"My good days are quickly coming;
Faith! the dame was in the right!"

Whereupon the robbers, guessing
That the lad was well aware
Of the treasure they had hidden,
Straightway offered him a share;

Which he joyfully accepted,
And in triumph carried home,
And with rapture told his mother,
How his lucky days had come!





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