ONCE in the chase, this monarch drooping, From his high consequence and wisdom stooping, Entered, through curiosity, a cot, Where an old crone was hanging on the pot; The wrinkled, blear-eyed, good old granny, In this same cot, illumed by many a cranny, Had apple-dumplings ready for the pot; In tempting row the naked dumplings lay, When, lo! the monarch, in his usual way, Like lightning asked, "What's here? what's here? What? what? what? what?" Then taking up a dumpling in his hand, His eyes with admiration did expand— And oft did majesty the dumpling grapple; "'Tis monstrous, monstrous, monstrous hard," he cried; "What makes the thing so hard?" The dame replied, Low courtesying, "Please your majesty, the apple." "Very astonishing, indeed! strange thing!" (Turning the dumpling round,) rejoined the king, "'Tis most extraordinary now, all this is— It beats the conjurer's capers all to pieces— Strange I should never of a dumpling dream; But, Goody, tell me, where, where, where's the seam?" "Sire, there's no seam," quoth she; "I never knew That folks did apple-dumplings @3sew!@1" "No!" cried the staring monarch, with a grin, "Then, where, where, where, pray, got the apple in?" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TANGENTIAL by LOUIS UNTERMEYER WASTED HOURS by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: CARL HAMBLIN by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MRS. BENJAMIN PANTIER by EDGAR LEE MASTERS REUBEN JAMES by JAMES JEFFREY ROCHE THE FASHION by JOSEPH BEAUMONT |