The Monkey's Frolic A Humorous Tale in Verse   By: Anonymous

A humorous tale, in verse.

[Publisher's device]

LONDON: GRANT AND GRIFFITH, successors to J. HARRIS, CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.

The MONKEY'S FROLIC.

A Humorous Tale.

[Publisher's device]

LONDON: GRANT AND GRIFFITH, successors to JOHN HARRIS, CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.

The MONKEY'S FROLIC.

Our tale is a true one, from which may be taught A maxim for youth, with utility fraught; If terrors assail you, examine the cause, And all will be well ; for, by NATURE'S kind laws, Nor Goblins nor Spectres on earth have a station, These phantoms are all of ideal creation.

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A Monkey , that comical tricks would be at, His frolics one morning began with the Cat ; He chatter'd, as much as to say How d' ye do? And Puss look'd her thanks, and politely cried Mew ! Pug then shook her paw, and they sat down together, Puss washing her face, indicating wet weather.

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But, mischief the Monkey inclining to harbour, His skill he resolved now to try as a Barber . A soap box conveniently lay in the room, "Miss Puss ," he exclaim'd, "you'll be shaved, I presume?" Then scraping and bowing with grin and grimace, Despite of resistance, he lather'd her face.

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Now Pug could not find either razor or knife, So Puss ran no hazard of losing her life; Yet razor or knife though they could not be had, Pug found what the terrified Cat thought as bad; A knife made of ivory, in use to cut paper, With which Barber Pug now proceeded to scrape her.

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But Puss on a sudden deserted her station, Disliking (no wonder) the strange operation, And ran round the room without means of escaping; While Pug , still determined to give her a scraping, Pursued, and, regardless of struggle or prayer, Fast bound her, at last, to the back of a chair.

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When, tucking a napkin close under her chin, Each mew of dismay he return'd with a grin; And yelling and chattering they raised such a clatter, That Susan rush'd in to learn what was the matter; When Pug , overturning the chair midst the clack, Ran off, leaving Pussy stretched out on her back.

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The sight was to Susan so curious, that faster She ran out than in , to tell Mistress and Master ; But, when they came up, neither Puss nor the Shaver Was there, to account for improper behaviour; For Pug had contrived, amid Susan's alarms, To reach the house top, with Miss Puss in his arms.

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Now fearing that Pug or Miss Puss might be maim'd, "Go, fetch a long ladder," the Master exclaim'd; "And bring them down quickly both Barber and Cat ." "Oh, oh!" thought the Monkey , "I sha'nt suffer that ." The ladder was climb'd by a servant so valiant, But Pug with loose tiles soon repulsed the assailant.

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Against all manoeuvre apparently proof, Pug chatter'd and paced to and fro on the roof, And fondled the Cat , and next, pitying her case, He wiped with the napkin the suds from her face; As nurse would a child, then he held her out so , While all the spectators kept laughing below.

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