Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
France: Vols. IX–X. 1876–79.
The King of Yvetot
By Pierre-Jean de Béranger (1780–1857)T
Who, little famed in story,
Went soon to bed, to rise was slow,
And slumbered without glory.
’T was Jenny crowned this jolly chap
With nothing but a cotton cap,
Mayhap.
Ho! ho! ho! ho! ha! ha! ha! ha!
What a famous king was he, O la!
Consumed his four meals daily;
He rode about his realm to see,
Upon a donkey, gayly;
Besides his dog, no guard he had,
He hoped for good when things were bad,—
Ne’er sad.
Ho! ho! ho! ho! ha! ha! ha! ha!
What a famous king was he, O la!
Except a taste for drinking,
And kings who make their subjects blest
Should live well, to my thinking.
At table he his taxes got,
From every cask he took a pot
I wot.
Ho! ho! ho! ho! ha! ha! ha! ha!
What a famous king was this, O la!
Beyond their proper measure;
A model of all potentates,
His only code was pleasure.
And ’t was not till the day he died
His faithful subjects ever sighed,
Or cried.
Ho! ho! ho! ho! ha! ha! ha! ha!
What a famous king was he, O la!
Is still in preservation,
And as a sign it serves to grace
An inn of reputation.
On holidays a joyous rout
Before it pushed their mugs about
And shout.
Ho! ho! ho! ho! ha! ha! ha! ha!
What a famous king was he, O la!