Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
France: Vols. IX–X. 1876–79.

Miscellaneous

King Dagobert

By Anonymous

KING DAGOBERT, so stout,—

He wore his breeches wrong side out.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Unseemly are

The hose you wear.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he;

“But now I ’ll turn them right, you ’ll see.”

King Dagobert, one day,

Put on his coat of green so gay.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “Look, mon roi,

In your best coat

A hole I note.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he;

“But yours is whole, so lend it me.”

His stockings, too, were seen

In holes,—by maggots gnawed, I ween.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Just look below,

Your calves you show.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he,

“So please your stockings lend to me.”

King Dagobert, so brave,

In winter was not wont to shave.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

You ’ll get, I hope,

A little soap.”

Then said the king: “I will,” said he;

“Have you a penny? Lend it me.”

King Dagobert, of yore,

He wore his wig hind-part before.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Your wig ’s not right,

You look a fright.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he;

“You ’ve got a scratch, so lend it me.”

King Dagobert, of yore,

His cloak too short in winter wore.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Your cloak is scant,

New cloth you want.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he,

“So put on inches two or three.”

King Dagobert wrote verse

So ill that nothing could be worse.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Songs, if you please,

You ’ll leave to geese.”

Then said the king: “I will,” said he,

“So you shall make my songs for me.”

King Dagobert, they say,

Near Antwerp went to hunt one day.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

You ’re out of breath

And tired to death.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he,

“A rabbit scampered after me.”

King Dagobert, of yore,

A mighty sword of iron wore.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Ain’t you afraid

Of that sharp blade?”

Then said the king: “I am,” said he,

“A wooden sword pray give to me.”

King Dagobert was sad,

His dogs were with the mange so bad.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

To clean each hound

It must be drowned.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he,

“So drowned with you they all shall be.”

King Dagobert, so stout,

When fighting, flung his blows about.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

I fear they will

Your highness kill.”

Then said the king: “They may,” said he,

“So clap yourself in front of me.”

So proud the monarch grew

He thought the world he could subdue,

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

A trip so far

Is full of care.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he,

“’T is better far at home to be.”

King Dagobert of old

Made war although ’t was winter cold.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Your highness’ nose

Will soon be froze.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he,

“So back again at home I ’ll be.”

One day, so runs the tale,

The king upon the sea would sail.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

If outward bound,

You may be drowned.”

Then said the king: “That ’s true,” said he;

“Le roi boit, then, the cry will be.”

The good King Dagobert

Was very fond of his dessert.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

More than enough

You cut and stuff.”

“Pooh, monsieur,” said the king, said he;

“In stuffing you ’re a match for me.”

King Dagobert the great,

When he had tippled, walked not straight.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

Your footsteps slide

From side to side.”

“Pooh, monsieur,” said the king, said he;

“When you get drunk, you walk like me.”

And when the good king died,

The devil came to his bedside.

Good Saint Eloi

Said: “O mon roi,

You can’t do less

Than now confess.”

Then said the king: “Alas!” said he,

“Why can’t you die instead of me.”