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Title: Jackal And Child
Author: James McIntyre [
More Titles by McIntyre]
In the great Province of Bengal,
The scavenger is the Jackal,
For it doth love each night to feast,
On the carrion of some beast.
The stench of which pollutes the air,
But to this beast 'tis sweet and fair,
Carcass to it is source of wealth,
Jackals promote the public health.
When the "Seapoys" did rebel,
A strange adventure child befell,
An English Colonel and his wife,
They thought still distant was the strife.
And left their little girl at home,
While they to distant village roam;
And thus saved their lives from slaughter,
But rebels carried off their daughter.
Their servant woman, a Hindoo,
They knew her to be kind and true,
It almost drove her crazy wild,
To see them dragging off the child.
The Colonel soon he doth return,
And in his breast fierce rage doth burn,
He knows the child is doomed to die,
But he the rebels will defy.
So quick he doth gird on his sword,
And asks for blessings from the Lord,
He puts his pistols in their case,
And carries with him trusty brace.
Seapoys by the river side
Left child to drown in rising tide,
But Jackal went there for water,
And spied the Colonel's daughter.
He knew the river soon would rise,
So quick he carried off the prize,
Though love for child he does not feel,
He only wants her for a meal.
He ran with her towards the south,
Carrying her in his broad mouth,
The Colonel had a strong desire
On this savage beast for to fire.
But from it he refrained for fear
The ball might strike his little dear,
He saw that brute was now weary
Running with his little dearie.
So he then quickly gave it chase,
And full soon then he gained the race,
The coward beast then dropped the child
And fled away in terror wild.
With joy Colonel he doth weep
When he finds babe is still asleep,
And on it neither scar nor trace
Can disfigure its fair face.
And now he takes it in his arms,
With joy and pride surveys its charms,
We fear that kisses did it smother
When he handed it to mother.
[The end]
James McIntyre's poem: Jackal And Child
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