The Children In The Wood Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDCD EFEFGHIH JKLKMNON FPKQKEORM FSNTBUQFQ EVMW NFXF EFYZ A2B2 B2 EC2D2E2NF2EN E2G2E2E2E2E2QE2Q E2H2I2J2K2L2UM2U E2E2IHIE2QE2Q E2N2O2P2O2Q2R2S2R2 E2Q2EQ2EQ2D2Q2N EQ2ES2ET2PQ2 EQ2M2SM2E2Q2Q2Q2 EE2EQ2ED2E2E2E2 EQ2U2E2U2Q2Q2Q2Q2 EV2EQ2E2Q2Q2Q2Q2 E2Q2W2EW2X2Q2L2Q2 E2Q2Y2E2Y2Z2Q2E2Q2hall write | A |
A doleful story you shall hear | B |
In time brought forth to light | A |
A gentleman of good account | C |
In Norfolk dwelt of late | D |
Who did in honour far surmount | C |
Most men of his estate | D |
- | |
II | - |
Sore sick he was and like to die | E |
No help his life could save | F |
His wife by him as sick did lie | E |
And both possest one grave | F |
No love between these two was lost | G |
Each was to other kind | H |
In love they lived in love they died | I |
And left two babes behind | H |
- | |
III | - |
The one a fine and pretty boy | J |
Not passing three years old | K |
The other a girl more young than he | L |
And framed in beauty's mould | K |
The father left his little son | M |
As plainly did appear | N |
When he to perfect age should come | O |
Three hundred pounds a year | N |
- | |
IV | F |
And to his little daughter Jane | P |
Five hundred pounds in gold | K |
To be paid down on marriage day | Q |
Which might not be controll'd | K |
But if the children chanced to die | E |
Ere they to age should come | O |
Their uncle should possess their wealth | R |
For so the will did run | M |
- | |
V | F |
Now brother ' said the dying man | S |
Look to my children dear | N |
Be good unto my boy and girl | T |
No friends else have they here | B |
To God and you I recommend | U |
My children dear this day | Q |
But little while be sure we have | F |
Within this world to stay | Q |
- | |
VI | E |
You must be father and mother both | V |
And uncle all in one | M |
God knows what will become of them | W |
When I am dead and gone ' | - |
With that bespake their mother dear | N |
O brother kind ' quoth she | F |
You are the man must bring our babes | X |
To wealth or misery | F |
- | |
VII | E |
And if you keep them carefully | F |
Then God will you reward | Y |
But if you otherwise should deal | Z |
God will your deeds regard ' | - |
With lips as cold as any stone | A2 |
They kiss'd their children small | B2 |
God bless you both my children dear ' | - |
With that the tears did fall | B2 |
- | |
VIII | E |
These speeches then their brother spake | C2 |
To this sick couple there | D2 |
The keeping of your little ones | E2 |
Sweet sister do not fear | N |
God never prosper me nor mine | F2 |
Nor aught else that I have | E |
If I do wrong your children dear | N |
When you are laid in grave ' | - |
- | |
IX | E2 |
The parents being dead and gone | G2 |
The children home he takes | E2 |
And brings them straight unto his house | E2 |
Where much of them he makes | E2 |
He had not kept these pretty babes | E2 |
A twelvemonth and a day | Q |
But for their wealth he did devise | E2 |
To make them both away | Q |
- | |
X | E2 |
He bargain'd with two ruffians strong | H2 |
Which were of furious mood | I2 |
That they should take these children young | J2 |
And slay them in a wood | K2 |
He told his wife an artful tale | L2 |
He would the children send | U |
To be brought up in London town | M2 |
With one that was his friend | U |
- | |
XI | E2 |
Away then went those pretty babes | E2 |
Rejoicing at that tide | I |
Rejoicing with a merry mind | H |
They should on cock horse ride | I |
They prate and prattle pleasantly | E2 |
As they ride on the way | Q |
To those that should their butchers be | E2 |
And work their lives' decay | Q |
- | |
XII | E2 |
So that the pretty speech they had | N2 |
Made Murder's heart relent | O2 |
And they that undertook the deed | P2 |
Full sore did now repent | O2 |
Yet one of them more hard of heart | Q2 |
Did vow to do his charge | R2 |
Because the wretch that hir d him | S2 |
Had paid him very large | R2 |
- | |
XIII | E2 |
The other won't agree thereto | Q2 |
So here they fall to strife | E |
With one another they did fight | Q2 |
About the children's life | E |
And he that was of mildest mood | Q2 |
Did slay the other there | D2 |
Within an unfrequented wood | Q2 |
The babes did quake for fear | N |
- | |
XIV | E |
He took the children by the hand | Q2 |
Tears standing in their eye | E |
And bade them straightway follow him | S2 |
And look they did not cry | E |
And two long miles he led them on | T2 |
While they for food complain | P |
Stay here ' quoth he I'll bring you bread | Q2 |
When I come back again ' | - |
- | |
XV | E |
These pretty babes with hand in hand | Q2 |
Went wandering up and down | M2 |
But never more could see the man | S |
Approaching from the town | M2 |
Their pretty lips with blackberries | E2 |
Were all besmear'd and dyed | Q2 |
And when they saw the darksome night | Q2 |
They sat them down and cried | Q2 |
- | |
XVI | E |
Thus wander'd these poor innocents | E2 |
Till death did end their grief | E |
In one another's arms they died | Q2 |
As wanting due relief | E |
No burial this pretty pair | D2 |
From any man receives | E2 |
Till Robin Redbreast piously | E2 |
Did cover them with leaves | E2 |
- | |
XVII | E |
And now the heavy wrath of God | Q2 |
Upon their uncle fell | U2 |
Yea fearful fiends did haunt his house | E2 |
His conscience felt an hell | U2 |
His barns were fired his goods consumed | Q2 |
His lands were barren made | Q2 |
His cattle died within the field | Q2 |
And nothing with him stay'd | Q2 |
- | |
XVIII | E |
And in a voyage to Portugal | V2 |
Two of his sons did die | E |
And to conclude himself was brought | Q2 |
To want and misery | E2 |
He pawn'd and mortgaged all his land | Q2 |
Ere seven years came about | Q2 |
And now at last his wicked act | Q2 |
Did by this means come out | Q2 |
- | |
XIX | E2 |
The fellow that did take in hand | Q2 |
These children for to kill | W2 |
Was for a robbery judged to die | E |
Such was God's blessed will | W2 |
Who did confess the very truth | X2 |
As here hath been display'd | Q2 |
The uncle having died in jail | L2 |
Where he for debt was laid | Q2 |
- | |
XX | E2 |
You that executors be made | Q2 |
And overse rs eke | Y2 |
Of children that be fatherless | E2 |
And infants mild and meek | Y2 |
Take you example by this thing | Z2 |
And yield to each his right | Q2 |
Lest God with suchlike misery | E2 |
Your wicked minds requite | Q2 |
Sir Arthur Quiller-couch
(1)
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