The Devil Of Pope-fig Island Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEE FFGG HHIIDDFF JJBBKKLLMMNN OOLLLLPPQQRS TTUULLLLVWKKXXCCLLYY LLZA2CC LLKKB2B2CCLL LLQQLLLLLLSSC2C2LL LLLLLLD2D2 E2E2LLLLF2F2 G2G2H2H2LLI2I2LLLLLL J2E2F2F2I2I2LLRS LLLLK2SL2L2F2F2FFWW M2M2N2N2SSFFLL LLSSLLI2I2IIO2O2LLLL LLLLLL| BY master Francis clearly 'tis expressed | A |
| The folks of Papimania are blessed | A |
| True sleep for them alone it seems was made | B |
| With US the copy only has been laid | B |
| And by Saint John if Heav'n my life will spare | C |
| I'll see this place where sleeping 's free from care | C |
| E'en better still I find for naught they do | D |
| 'Tis that employment always I pursue | D |
| Just add thereto a little honest love | E |
| And I shall be as easy as a glove | E |
| - | |
| ON t'other hand an island may be seen | F |
| Where all are hated cursed and full of spleen | F |
| We know them by the thinness of their face | G |
| Long sleep is quite excluded from their race | G |
| - | |
| SHOULD you good reader any person meet | H |
| With rosy smiling looks and cheeks replete | H |
| The form not clumsy you may safely say | I |
| A Papimanian doubtless I survey | I |
| But if on t'other side you chance to view | D |
| A meagre figure void of blooming hue | D |
| With stupid heavy eye and gloomy mien | F |
| Conclude at once a Pope figer you've seen | F |
| - | |
| POPE FIG 'S the name upon an isle bestowed | J |
| Where once a fig the silly people showed | J |
| As like the pope and due devotion paid | B |
| By folly blocks have often gods been made | B |
| These islanders were punished for their crime | K |
| Naught prospers Francis tells us in their clime | K |
| To Lucifer was giv'n the hateful spot | L |
| And there his country house he now has got | L |
| His underlings appear throughout the isle | M |
| Rude wretched poor mean sordid base and vile | M |
| With tales and horns and claws if we believe | N |
| What many say who ought not to deceive | N |
| - | |
| ONE day it happened that a cunning clown | O |
| Was by an imp observed without the town | O |
| To turn the earth which seemed to be accurst | L |
| Since ev'ry trench was painful as the first | L |
| This youthful devil was a titled lord | L |
| In manners simple naught to be abhorred | L |
| He might so ignorant be duped at ease | P |
| As yet he'd scarcely ventured to displease | P |
| Said he I'd have thee know I was not born | Q |
| Like clods to labour dig nor sow the corn | Q |
| A devil thou in me beholdest here | R |
| Of noble race to toil I ne'er appear | S |
| - | |
| THOU know'st full well these fields to us belong | T |
| The islanders it seems had acted wrong | T |
| And for their crimes the pope withdrew his cares | U |
| Our subjects now you live the law declares | U |
| And therefore fellow I've undoubted right | L |
| To take the produce of this field at sight | L |
| But I am kind and clearly will decide | L |
| The year concluded we'll the fruits divided | L |
| What crop pray tell me dost thou mean to sow | V |
| The clod replied my lord what best will grow | W |
| I think is Tousell grain of hardy fame | K |
| The imp rejoined I never heard its name | K |
| What is it Tousell say'st thou I agree | X |
| If good return 'twill be the same to me | X |
| Work fellow work make haste the ground prepare | C |
| To dig and delve should be the rabble's care | C |
| Don't think that I will ever lend a hand | L |
| Or give the slightest aid to till the land | L |
| I've told thee I'm a gentleman by birth | Y |
| Designed for ease not doomed to turn the earth | Y |
| Howe'er I'll now the diff'rent parts allot | L |
| And thus divide the produce of the plot | L |
| What shall above the heritage arise | Z |
| I'll leave to thee 'twill very well suffice | A2 |
| But what is in the soil shall be my share | C |
| To this attend see ev'ry thing is fair | C |
| - | |
| THIS beardless corn when ripe with joy was reaped | L |
| And then the stubble by the roots was heaped | L |
| To satisfy the lordly devil's claim | K |
| Who thought the seed and root were just the same | K |
| And that the ear and stalk were useless parts | B2 |
| Which nothing made if carried to the marts | B2 |
| The labourer his produce housed with care | C |
| The other to the market brought his ware | C |
| Where ridicule and laughter he received | L |
| 'Twas nothing worth which much his bosom grieved | L |
| - | |
| QUITE mortified the devil quickly went | L |
| To seek our clod and mark his discontent | L |
| The fellow had discreetly sold the corn | Q |
| In straw unthrashed and off the money borne | Q |
| Which he with ev'ry wily care concealed | L |
| The imp was duped and nothing was revealed | L |
| Said he thou rascal pretty tricks thou'st played | L |
| It seems that cheating is thy daily trade | L |
| But I'm a noble devil of the court | L |
| Who tricking never knew save by report | L |
| What grain dost mean to sow th' ensuing year | S |
| The labourer replied I think it clear | S |
| Instead of grain 'twill better be to chop | C2 |
| And take a carrot or a turnip crop | C2 |
| You then my lord will surely plenty find | L |
| And radishes if you are so inclined | L |
| - | |
| THESE carrots radishes and turnips too | L |
| Said t'other I am led to think will do | L |
| My part shall be what 'bove the soil is found | L |
| Thine fellow what remains within the ground | L |
| No war with thee I'll have unless constrained | L |
| And thou hast never yet of me complained | L |
| I now shall go and try to tempt a nun | D2 |
| For I'm disposed to have a little fun | D2 |
| - | |
| THE time arrived again to house the store | E2 |
| The labourer collected as before | E2 |
| Leaves solely to his lordship were assigned | L |
| Who sought for those a ready sale to find | L |
| But through the market ridicule was heard | L |
| And ev'ry one around his jest preferred | L |
| Pray Mister Devil where d'ye grow these greens | F2 |
| How treasure up returns from your demesnes | F2 |
| - | |
| ENRAGED at what was said he hurried back | G2 |
| And on the clown proposed to make attack | G2 |
| Who full of joy was laughing with his wife | H2 |
| And tasting pleasantly the sweets of life | H2 |
| By all the pow'rs of Hell the demon cried | L |
| He shall the forfeit pay I now decide | L |
| A pretty rascal truly master Phil | I2 |
| Here pleasures you expect at will | I2 |
| Well well proceed gallant it while allowed | L |
| For present I'll remit what I had vowed | L |
| A charming lady I'm engaged to meet | L |
| She's sometimes willing then again discreet | L |
| But soon as I in cuckold's row have placed | L |
| Her ninny husband I'll return in haste | L |
| And then so thoroughly I'll trim you o'er | J2 |
| Such wily tricks you'll never practise more | E2 |
| We'll see who best can use his claws and nails | F2 |
| And from the fields obtain the richest sales | F2 |
| Corn carrots radishes or what you will | I2 |
| Crop as you like and show your utmost skill | I2 |
| No stratagems howe'er with culture blend | L |
| I'll take my portion from the better end | L |
| Within a week remember I'll be here | R |
| And recollect you've every thing to fear | S |
| - | |
| AMAZED at what the lordly devil said | L |
| The clod could naught reply so great his dread | L |
| But at the gasconade Perretta smiled | L |
| Who kept his house and weary hours beguiled | L |
| A sprightly clever lass with prying eye | K2 |
| Who when a shepherdess could more descry | S |
| Than sheep or lambs she watched upon the plain | L2 |
| If other views or points she sought to gain | L2 |
| Said she weep not I'll undertake at ease | F2 |
| To gull this novice devil as I please | F2 |
| He's young and ignorant has nothing seen | F |
| Thee from his rage I thoroughly will skreen | F |
| My little finger if I like can show | W |
| More malice than his head and body know | W |
| - | |
| THE day arrived our labourer not brave | M2 |
| Concealed himself but not in vault nor cave | M2 |
| He plunged within a vase extremely large | N2 |
| Where holy water always was in charge | N2 |
| No demon would have thought to find him there | S |
| So well the clod had chosen his repair | S |
| In sacred stoles he muffled up his skin | F |
| And 'bove the water only kept his chin | F |
| There we will leave him while the priests profound | L |
| Repeated Vade retro round and round | L |
| - | |
| PERRETTA at the house remained to greet | L |
| The lordly devil whom she hoped to cheat | L |
| He soon appeared when with dishevelled hair | S |
| And flowing tears as if o'erwhelmed with care | S |
| She sallied forth and bitterly complained | L |
| How oft by Phil she had been scratched and caned | L |
| Said she the wretch has used me very ill | I2 |
| Of cruelty he has obtained his fill | I2 |
| For God's sake try my lord to get away | I |
| Just now I heard the savage fellow say | I |
| He'd with his claws your lordship tear and slash | O2 |
| See only see my lord he made this gash | O2 |
| On which she showed what you will guess no doubt | L |
| And put the demon presently to rout | L |
| Who crossed himself and trembled with affright | L |
| He'd never seen nor heard of such a sight | L |
| Where scratch from claws or nails had so appeared | L |
| His fears prevailed and off he quickly steered | L |
| Perretta left who by her friends around | L |
| Was complimented on her sense profound | L |
| That could so well the demon's snares defeat | L |
| The clergy too pronounced her plan discrete | L |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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The Devil Of Pope-fig Island is a poem by Jean De La Fontaine. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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