The Jacquerie. A Fragment/Song for the Jacquerie (3 of 3)

by Sidney Lanier

Song for The Jacquerie

            The hound was cuffed, the hound was kicked,
            O’ the ears was cropped, o’ the tail was nicked,
(All.)                Oo-hoo-o, howled the hound.
            The hound into his kennel crept;
            He rarely wept, he never slept.
            His mouth he always open kept
            Licking his bitter wound,
                  The hound,
(All.)                U-lu-lo, howled the hound.

            A star upon his kennel shone
            That showed the hound a meat-bare bone.
(All.)                O hungry was the hound!
            The hound had but a churlish wit.
            He seized the bone, he crunched, he bit.
            “An thou wert Master, I had slit
                  Thy throat with a huge wound,”
                        Quo’ hound.
(All.)                O, angry was the hound.

            The star in castle-window shone,
            The Master lay abed, alone.
(All.)                Oh ho, why not? quo’ hound.
            He leapt, he seized the throat, he tore
            The Master, head from neck, to floor,
            And rolled the head i’ the kennel door,
                  And fled and salved his wound,
                        Good hound!
(All.)                U-lu-lo, howled the hound.