The Cradle Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEE BBFFGGHHIIJJ KKLLMMNNOOPP QQRRMMNN SSTTNNNNNNUUDDMMVWXX YYZZA2A2A2A2B2D C2C2A2A2A2A2NNA2A2 BBNNLLA2A2 JJA2A2D2D2A2A2E2E2F2 F2 A2A2BBG2G2 A2A2A2A2 NNNNA2A2NNA2A2A2A2H2 H2HH I2I2J2J2A2A2 NNA2A2K2K2NNL2L2A2A2 A2A2 BBA2A2A2A2A2A2M2M2N2 N2F2F2TTO2O2A2A2E2P2 A2A2A2A2Q2Q2A2A2 A2A2NEAR Rome of yore close to the Florence road | A |
Was seen a humble innkeeper's abode | A |
Small sums were charged few guests the night would stay | B |
And these could seldom much afford to pay | B |
A pleasing active partner had the host | C |
Her age not much 'bove thirty at the most | C |
Two children she her loving husband bore | D |
The boy was one year old the daughter more | D |
Just fifteen summers o'er her form had smiled | E |
In person charming and in temper mild | E |
- | |
IT happened that Pinucio young and gay | B |
A youth of family oft passed the way | B |
Admired the girl and thought she might be gained | F |
Attentions showed and like return obtained | F |
The mistress was not deaf nor lover mute | G |
Pinucio seemed the lady's taste to suit | G |
Of pleasing person and engaging air | H |
And 'mong the equals of our youthful fair | H |
As yet not one a pref'rence had received | I |
Nor had she e'er in golden dreams believed | I |
But spite of tender years her mind was high | J |
And village lads she would not let come nigh | J |
- | |
COLUTTA such her name though much admired | K |
And many in the place her hand desired | K |
Rejected some and others would not take | L |
And this most clearly for Pinucio's sake | L |
Long conversations she could rarely get | M |
And various obstacles the lovers met | M |
No interviews where they might be at ease | N |
But ev'ry thing conspired to fret and teaze | N |
O parents husbands be advised by me | O |
Constraint with wives or children won't agree | O |
'Tis then the god of love exerts his art | P |
To find admittance to the throbbing heart | P |
- | |
PINUCIO and a friend one stormy night | Q |
The landlord's reached and would in haste alight | Q |
They asked for beds but were too late they found | R |
You know sir cried the host we don't abound | R |
And now the very garrets we have let | M |
You'd better elsewhere try your wish to get | M |
And spite of weather further on pursue | N |
At best our lodging is unfit for you | N |
- | |
HAVE you no truckle bed the lover cried | S |
No corner left we fain would here abide | S |
Why truly said the host we always keep | T |
Two beds within the chamber where we sleep | T |
My wife and I of course take one of these | N |
Together lie in t'other if you please | N |
The spark replied this we will gladly do | N |
Come supper get that o'er the friends withdrew | N |
Pinucio by Coletta's sage advice | N |
In looking o'er the room was very nice | N |
With eagle eyes particulars he traced | U |
Then 'tween the clothes himself and friend he placed | U |
A camp bed for the girl was on the floor | D |
The landlord's 'gainst the wall and next the door | D |
Another opposite the last was set | M |
And this to guests at certain times was let | M |
And 'tween the two but near the parents' best | V |
A cradle for the child to rest its head | W |
From which a pleasant accident arrived | X |
That our gallant's young friend of rest deprived | X |
- | |
WHEN midnight came and this gay spark supposed | Y |
The host and hostess' eyes in sleep were closed | Y |
Convinced the time appointed was at hand | Z |
To put in execution what was planned | Z |
He to the camp bed silently repaired | A2 |
And found the belle by Morpheus not insnared | A2 |
Coletta taught a play that mortals find | A2 |
Fatigues the body more than plagues the mind | A2 |
A truce succeeded but 'twas quickly o'er | B2 |
Those rest not long who pilfer Cupid's store | D |
- | |
AGAIN when to the room the hostess came | C2 |
And found the cradle rested not the same | C2 |
Good heav'ns cried she it joins my husband's head | A2 |
And but for that I truly had been led | A2 |
To lay myself unthinkingly beside | A2 |
The strangers whom with lodging we provide | A2 |
But God be praised this cradle shows the place | N |
Where my good husband's pillow I must trace | N |
This said she with the friend was quickly laid | A2 |
Without suspecting what mistake she'd made | A2 |
- | |
BETWEEN the lovers all was blithe and gay | B |
When suddenly the friend though far from day | B |
Was forced to rise 'twas plain a pressing case | N |
And move the infant's cradle from its place | N |
To ope the door and lest he noise might make | L |
Or any way by chance the child should wake | L |
He set it carefully beside his bed | A2 |
And softly treading to the garden sped | A2 |
- | |
ON his return he passed the cradle by | J |
To place it as before he would not try | J |
But went to sleep when presently a sound | A2 |
From something that had tumbled rang around | A2 |
Awoke his wife who ran below | D2 |
That what had happened she might clearly know | D2 |
No fool in such adventures was our Wight | A2 |
The opportunity he would not slight | A2 |
But played the husband well no no I'm wrong | E2 |
He played it ill too oft too much too long | E2 |
For whosoe'er would wish to do it well | F2 |
Should softly go the gentle most excel | F2 |
- | |
IN truth the wife was quite surprised to find | A2 |
Her spouse so much to frolicking inclined | A2 |
Said she what ails the man he's grown so gay | B |
A lad of twenty's not more fond of play | B |
Well let's enjoy the moments while we can | G2 |
God's will be done since life is but a span | G2 |
- | |
THE words were scarcely said when our gallant | A2 |
Renewed his fun and nothing seemed to want | A2 |
Indeed the hostess still her charms possessed | A2 |
And on occasion well might be caressed | A2 |
- | |
MEANWHILE Coletta dreading a surprise | N |
Prevailed upon her paramour to rise | N |
'Twas nearly break of day when he withdrew | N |
But groping to his place the way anew | N |
Pinucio by the cradle too was led | A2 |
To miss his friend's and take the landlord's bed | A2 |
No sooner in than with an under voice | N |
Intriguers oft too eagerly rejoice | N |
Said he my friend I wish I could relate | A2 |
The pleasure I've received my bliss is great | A2 |
To you I'm sorry Fortune proves so cold | A2 |
Like happiness I'd fain in you behold | A2 |
Coletta is a morsel for a king | H2 |
Inestimable girl to me she'll cling | H2 |
I've many seen but such a charming fair | H |
There's not another like her any where | H |
- | |
WITH softest skin delightful form and mien | I2 |
Her ev'ry act resembles BEAUTY's queen | I2 |
In short before we'd ended with our fun | J2 |
Six posts without a fiction we had run | J2 |
The host was struck with what the spark averred | A2 |
And muttered something indistinctly heard | A2 |
- | |
THE hostess whispered HIM she thought her spouse | N |
Again my dear such sparks let's never house | N |
Pray don't you hear how they together chat | A2 |
Just then the husband raised himself and sat | A2 |
Is this your plan said he with mighty rage | K2 |
Was it for THIS you would my house engage | K2 |
You understand me but I'll seek redress | N |
Think you so very cheap to have success | N |
What would you ruin families at will | L2 |
And with our daughters take at ease your fill | L2 |
Away I say my house this moment quit | A2 |
And as for You abominable chit | A2 |
I'll have your life this hour you breathe your last | A2 |
Such creatures only can with beasts be classed | A2 |
- | |
PINUCIO heard the lecture with dismay | B |
At once was mute and grew as cold as clay | B |
A moment's silence through the room prevailed | A2 |
Coletta trembled and her lot bewailed | A2 |
The hostess now on ev'ry side perceived | A2 |
Her peril great and for the error grieved | A2 |
The friend howe'er the cradle called to mind | A2 |
Which caused the many ills we've seen combined | A2 |
And instantly he cried Pinucio strange | M2 |
You thus allow yourself about to range | M2 |
Did I not tell you when the wine you took | N2 |
'Twould make many sad misfortunes hook | N2 |
Whene'er you freely drink 'tis known fall well | F2 |
Your sleep's disturbed you walk and nonsense tell | F2 |
Come come to bed the morning soon will peep | T |
Pinucio took the hint pretended sleep | T |
And carried on so artfully the wile | O2 |
The husband no suspicion had of guile | O2 |
The stratagem our hostess likewise tried | A2 |
And to her daughter's bed in silence hied | A2 |
Where she conceived her fortress was so strong | E2 |
She presently began to use her tongue | P2 |
And cried aloud Impossible the fact | A2 |
Such things he could not with Coletta act | A2 |
I've with her been in bed throughout the night | A2 |
And she no more than I has swerved from right | A2 |
'Twere mighty pretty truly here to come | Q2 |
At this the host a little while was dumb | Q2 |
But in a lower tone at length replied | A2 |
I nought with your account I'm satisfied | A2 |
- | |
THE party rose the titter circled round | A2 |
And each sufficient reason for it found | A2 |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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