The Three Gossips' Wager Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDDEE FFDDGGHHIIJJKK KKDDLLDDMMKKNNDDKK KKOOKKDDKKFFKKDDKKPP QR KKKKST KKDDKK KKUUDDFFVVKKKKLLTTKK WWFFXXKKFFDD DDDDKKDDYYZZKKKK XXKKKKKKKKZZDDKKDDDD A2A2KKB2B2KKKKDDC2D D2 C2 K K D2 E2E2DD U QR K WW D2K U F2 D2 KB2B2 U E2 K E2G2G2 KKDDYYKAS o'er their wine one day three gossips sat | A |
Discoursing various pranks in pleasant chat | A |
Each had a loving friend and two of these | B |
Most clearly managed matters at their ease | B |
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SAID one a princely husband I have got | C |
A better in the world there's surely not | C |
With him I can adjust as humour fits | D |
No need to rise at early dawn like cits | D |
To prove to him that two and three make four | E |
Or ask his leave to ope or shut the door | E |
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UPON my word replied another fair | F |
If he were mine I openly declare | F |
To judge from what so pleasantly you say | D |
I'd make a present of him new year's day | D |
For pleasure never gives me full delight | G |
Unless a little pain the bliss invite | G |
No doubt your husband moves as he is led | H |
Thank heav'n a different mortal claims my bed | H |
To take him in great nicety we need | I |
But howsoe'er at times I can succeed | I |
The satisfaction doubly then is felt | J |
In fond emotion bosoms freely melt | J |
With neither of you husband or gallant | K |
Would I exchange though these so much you vaunt | K |
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ON this the third with candour interfer'd | K |
She thought that oft the god of love appear'd | K |
Good husbands playfully to fret and vex | D |
Sometimes to rally couples then perplex | D |
But warmer as the conversation grew | L |
She anxious that each disputant might view | L |
Herself victorious or believe it so | D |
Exclaim'd if either of you wish to show | D |
Who's in the right with argument have done | M |
And let us practise some new scheme of fun | M |
To dupe our husbands she who don't succeed | K |
Shall pay a forfeit all replied quot Agreed quot | K |
But then continued she we ought to take | N |
An oath that we will full discov'ry make | N |
To one another of the various facts | D |
Without disguising even trifling acts | D |
And then good upright Macae shall decide | K |
Thus things arrang'd the ladies homeward plied | K |
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SHE 'mong the three who felt the most constraint | K |
Ador'd a youth contemporaries paint | K |
Well made and handsome but with beardless chin | O |
Which led the pair a project to begin | O |
For yet no opportunity they'd found | K |
T' enjoy their wishes save by stealth around | K |
Most ardently she sought to be at ease | D |
And 'twas agreed the lucky thought to seize | D |
That like a chambermaid he should be dress'd | K |
And then proceed to execute the jest | K |
Attend upon the wily wedded pair | F |
And offer services with modest air | F |
And downcast eyes the husband on her leer'd | K |
And in her favour prepossess'd appear'd | K |
In hopes one day to find those pleasing charms | D |
Resign'd in secret to his longing arms | D |
Such pretty cheeks and sparkling eyes he thought | K |
Had ne'er till then his roving fancy caught | K |
The girl was hir'd but seemingly with pain | P |
Since PRUDENCE ultimately might complain | P |
That maid and master both so very young | Q |
'Twould not be wonderful if things went wrong | R |
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AT first the husband inattention show'd | K |
And scarcely on the maid a look bestow'd | K |
But presently he chang'd his conduct quite | K |
And presents gave with promises not slight | K |
At length the servant feign'd to lend an ear | S |
And anxious seem'd obliging to appear | T |
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THE trap our cunning lovers having laid | K |
One eve this message brought the smiling maid | K |
My lady sir is ill and rest requires | D |
To sleep alone to night she much desires | D |
To grant the master's wish the girl was led | K |
And they together hurried off to bed | K |
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THE husband 'tween the sheets himself had plac'd | K |
The nymph was in her petticoat unlac'd | K |
When suddenly appear'd the wily wife | U |
And promis'd harmony was turn'd to strife | U |
Are these your freaks cried she with mark'd surprise | D |
Your usual dish it seems then don't suffice | D |
You want indeed to have some nicer fare | F |
A little sooner by the saints I swear | F |
You'd me a pretty trick 'tis clear have shown | V |
And doubtless then tit bits to keep been prone | V |
This howsoe'er to get you're not design'd | K |
So elsewhere you may try what you can find | K |
And as to you miss Prettyface you jade | K |
Good heav'ns to think a paltry servant maid | K |
Should rival me I'll beat you black and blue | L |
The bread I eat indeed must be for you | L |
But I know better and indeed am clear | T |
Not one around will fancy I appear | T |
So void of charms so faded wither'd lost | K |
That I should out of doors at once be tost | K |
But I will manage matters I design | W |
This girl no other bed shall have than mine | W |
Then who so bold to touch her there will dare | F |
Come Miss let's to my room at once repair | F |
Away your things to morrow you can seek | X |
If scandal 'twould spread around I'd wreak | X |
My vengeance instantly and turn you out | K |
But I am lenient and desire no rout | K |
Perhaps your ruin may be sav'd by care | F |
So night and day your company I'll share | F |
No more my bosom then will feel dismay | D |
For I shall see that you no frolicks play | D |
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ON this the trembling girl o'ercome with fears | D |
Held down her head and seem'd to hide her tears | D |
Pick'd up her clothes and quickly stole away | D |
As if afraid her mistress more might say | D |
And hop'd to act the maid while Sol gave light | K |
But play at ease the fond gallant at night | K |
At once she fill'd two places in the house | D |
And thought in both the husband she should chouse | D |
Who bless'd his stars that he'd escap'd so well | Y |
And sneak'd alone to rest within his cell | Y |
While our gay am'rous pair advantage took | Z |
To play at will and ev'ry solace hook | Z |
Convinc'd most thoroughly once lovers kiss'd | K |
That OPPORTUNITY should n'er be miss'd | K |
Here ends the trick our wily gossip play'd | K |
But now let's see the plot another laid | K |
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THE second dame whose husband was so meek | X |
That only from her lips the truth he'd seek | X |
When seated with him 'neath a pear tree's shade | K |
Contriv'd at ease and her arrangement made | K |
The story I shall presently relate | K |
The butler strong well dress'd and full of prate | K |
Who often made the other servants trot | K |
Stood near when madam hit upon her plot | K |
To whom she said I wish the fruit to taste | K |
On which the man prepar'd with ev'ry haste | K |
To climb the tree and off the produce shook | Z |
But while above the fellow gave a look | Z |
Upon the ground below and feign'd he saw | D |
The spouse and wife do more than kiss and paw | D |
The servant rubb'd his eyes as if in doubt | K |
And cried why truly sir if you're so stout | K |
That you must revel 'mid your lady's charms | D |
Pray elsewhere take her to your longing arms | D |
Where you at ease may frolick hours or days | D |
Without my witnessing your loving ways | D |
Indeed I'm quite surprised at what I spy | A2 |
In publick 'neath a tree such pranks to try | A2 |
And if you don't a servant's presence heed | K |
With decency howe'er you should proceed | K |
What still go on for shame I say for shame | B2 |
Pray wait till by and by you're much to blame | B2 |
Besides the nights are long enough you'll find | K |
Heav'n genial joys for privacy design'd | K |
And why this place when you've nice chambers got | K |
What cried the lady says this noisy sot | K |
He surely dreams Where can he learn these tales | D |
Come down let's see what 'tis the fellow ails | D |
Down William came How said the master how | C2 |
Are we at play | D |
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WILLIAM | D2 |
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Not now sir no not now | C2 |
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HUSBAND | K |
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Why when then friend | K |
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WILLIAM | D2 |
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While I was in the tree | E2 |
Alive sir flay me if I did not see | E2 |
You on the verdant lawn my lady lay | D |
And kiss and toy and other frolicks play | D |
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WIFE | U |
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'Twere surely better if thou held'st thy tongue | Q |
Or thou'lt a beating get before 'tis long | R |
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HUSBAND | K |
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No no my dear he's mad and I design | W |
The fellow in a madhouse to confine | W |
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WILLIAM | D2 |
Is't folly pray to see what we behold | K |
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WIFE | U |
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What hast thou seen | F2 |
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WILLIAM | D2 |
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What I've already told | K |
My master and yourself at Cupid's game | B2 |
Or else the tree 's enchanted I proclaim | B2 |
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WIFE | U |
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ENCHANTED nonsense such a sight to see | E2 |
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HUSBAND | K |
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To know the truth myself I'll climb the tree | E2 |
Then you the fact will quickly from me learn | G2 |
We may believe what we ourselves discern | G2 |
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SOON as the master they above descried | K |
And that below our pair he sharply eyed | K |
The butler took the lady in his arms | D |
And grew at once familiar with her charms | D |
At sight of this the husband gave a yell | Y |
Made haste to reach the ground and nearly fell | Y |
Such liberties he wish'd at once to | K |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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