Canto XII

As is his wont, next morn the sun arose
But ne'er yet did he witness scenes like those
He saw that morn the moment he appeared,
Just as the bars of th' earth's horizon cleared.

The army bugle sounds, the trumpets blare,
The boys are up and for the day prepare.
Their swords are bright and sharp, and then '

of course
Well groomed and saddled is each Hussar's horse.

With might and main the French King would insist,
That he too would them in their, fight assist:
The leader though, a thoughtful man and wise,
Thought best to give the King this sound advice:

"Not so, my gracious King, you stay behind,
Age has your strength and vigor undermined.
I know, that still to you your valor 's left,
But what's the use if of your strength bereft?

First trust to God, then us, that's all, I pray,
We pledge ourselves! ere over is the day
We'll rout your foes and from your lands have.

thrown,
And you'll resume your ancient royal throne."
The Hussars then into the saddles spring,

Go forth the Turk to find; they shout and sing.
A herald send ahead to tell the Turk:
To be prepared for this day's heavy work.

The herald returns. The trumpets sound a blast
One mighty cheer! The fight is on at last!
The clash of steel, the Magyar's lusty yell,
Their warcry is which does of valor tell.

They drive their spurs into their horses flanks,
The earth vibrates as onward rush the ranks.
Or was it, that the earth's own heart beats loud,
Aghast at deathly blows dealt by that crowd?

Seven horses' tails adorn the Turkish chief.
His pouch is big enough — is your belief —
To hold a barrel of wine, his nose is red,
Looks like a ripe cucumber, — people said.

The awful bellied Turkish Chief gave then
The sign for the assembling of his men.
The Turkish force lined up as if at drill,
When our Hussars rushed at them with a will.

That rush howe'er had not been children's play
Terrific was the turmoil of the fray.
The fighting Turks perspired their very blood,
The green field soon was soaked by red sea's flood.

O, holy smoke! The day was hot! O my!
The Turks' dead bodies lay a mountain high!!
The mighty bellied chief though still alive,
Tried John to reach with his swords vicious drive.

Our John did not regard this as a joke;.
Parried the thrust and to the Chief thus spoke:
"My friend! thou art too big for one, let's see,
Can not this blow of mine make two of thee?"

He did what he had said that he would do,
And actually cut the chief in two —
The two halves fell from the perspiring horse
To right and left neath John's blows mighty force.

Their chief's fall made the coward Turks affright.
Presto! they turn around and took to flight.
They ran, and even now they still would run
Had our pursuing men the race not won.

Our men came up to them; a carnage spreads,
Dandelions in-bloom like drop their heads.
One only Turk escapes, that is he tries,
Our Kukoricza John after him flies.

It was the Pasha's son who sought by flight
To save .himself; there 's something white
Seen in his lap. It was the French Princess —
Unconscious, in a faint, and motionless.

It was a while till John had him outrun.
"Stop, heathen" — yelled to him, — "or just in fun
I cut on that mean frame of yours a hole
Through which to hell can pass your worthless soul".

The pasha's son howe'er would not have stopped,
If not, at last, his race-horse had not dropped.
The horse dropped dead. The Pasha's son began
To plead for mercy, thus his prayer ran:

"Have mercy on me, Sir! brave noble" Sir!

If nothing else, my youth should your heart stir

To generous sympathy! O, let me live!
All that I have, for it, I freely give!"
"Keep what you have, your worthless life keep too,
I am too good to kill a scamp like you.
Be off! and tell at home what was the fate

Of the mean robber horde found in this state."

He then alights, comes to the princess nigh
Looks into her most beauteous lustrous eye
Which, coming to herself, she oped amazed,
To John she then a greeting like this phrased:

"Dear saviour, I ask not who thou art,
I simply say: I thank thee from my heart,
My gratittude is thine through all my life,
And dost thou care, I will become thy wife."

In John's veins hot red blood, no water flowed.
His heart beat fast and loud with passion glowed,
Yet, manfully his feelings he subdued,
His vows to fair Helen all other loves exclude.

Most tenderly he to the princess says:
"To thy good Dad, sweet one, let's wend our ways,
Before him we will talk this matter o'er
And gently he the princess homeward bore.