64480: Love And Black Magic

<p dir="ltr"> To the woods, to the woods is the wizard gone;<br> In his grotto the maiden sits alone.<br> She gazes up with a weary smile<br> At the rafter-hanging crocodile,<br> The slowly swinging crocodile.<br> Scorn has she of her master's gear,<br> Cauldron, alembic, crystal sphere,<br> Phial, philtre---'Fiddlededee<br> For all such trumpery trash!' quo' she.<br> 'A soldier is the lad for me;<br> Hey and hither, my lad!<br> 'Oh, here have I ever lain forlorn:<br> My father died ere I was born,<br> Mother was by a wizard wed,<br> And oft I wish I had died instead---<br> Often I wish I were long time dead.<br> But, delving deep in my master's lore,<br> I have won of magic power such store<br> I can turn a skull---oh, fiddlededee<br> For all this curious craft!' quo' she.<br> 'A soldier is the lad for me;<br> Hey and hither, my lad!<br> 'To bring my brave boy unto my arms,<br> What need have I of magic charms---<br> ""Abracadabra!"" and ""Prestopuff""?<br> I have but to wish, and that is enough.<br> The charms are vain, one wish is enough.<br> My master pledged my hand to a wizard;<br> Transformed would I be to toad or lizard<br> If e'er he guessed---but fiddlededee<br> For a black-browed sorcerer, now,' quo' she.<br> 'Let Cupid smile and the fiend must flee;<br> Hey and hither, my lad.'</p>