Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VII. Descriptive: Narrative. 1904. | | | | Narrative Poems: VII. France | | The Glove and the Lions | | Leigh Hunt (1784–1859) |
| | | KING FRANCIS was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport, | |
| And one day, as his lions fought, sat looking on the court. | |
| The nobles filled the benches, with the ladies in their pride, | |
| And ’mongst them sat the Count de Lorge, with one for whom he sighed: | |
| And truly ’t was a gallant thing to see that crowning show, | 5 |
| Valor and love, and a king above, and the royal beasts below. | |
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| 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 on one another, | |
| Till all the pit with sand and mane was in a thunderous smother; | 10 |
| The bloody foam above the bars came whisking through the air; | |
| Said Francis then, “Faith, gentlemen, we’re better here than there.” | |
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| De Lorge’s love o’erheard the King, a beauteous lively dame, | |
| With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same; | |
| She thought, the Count, my lover, is brave as brave can be; | 15 |
| He surely would do wondrous things to show his love of me; | |
| King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine; | |
| I’ll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine. | |
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| She dropped her glove, to prove his love, then looked at him and smiled; | |
| He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild; | 20 |
| The leap was quick, return was quick, he has regained his place, | |
| Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady’s face. | |
| “By Heaven,” said Francis, “rightly done!” and he rose from where he sat; | |
| “No love,” quoth he, “but vanity, sets love a task like that.” | | | | |
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