THE SUPPER

A wolf he pricks with eyes of fire

Across the night's o'ercrusted snows.

Seeking his prey,

He pads his way

Where Jane benighted goes,

Where Jane benighted goes.

He curdles the bleak air with ire,

Ruffling his hoary raiment through,

And lo! he sees

Beneath the trees

Where Jane's light footsteps go,

Where Jane's light footsteps go.

No hound peals thus in wicked joy,

He snaps his muzzle in the snows,

His five-clawed feet

Do scamper fleet

Where Jane's bright lanthorn shows,

Where Jane's bright lanthorn shows.

Now his greed's green doth gaze unseen

On a pure face of wilding rose,

Her amber eyes

In fear's surprise

Watch largely as she goes,

Watch largely as she goes.

Salt wells his hunger in his jaws,

His lust it revels to and fro,

Yet small beneath

A soft voice saith,

“Jane shall in safety go,

Jane shall in safety go.”

He lurched as if a fiery lash

Had scourged his hide, and through and through

His furious eyes

O'erscanned the skies,

But nearer dared not go,

But nearer dared not go.

He reared like wild Bucephalus,

His fangs like spears in him uprose,

Even to the town

Jane's flitting gown

He grins on as she goes,

He grins on as she goes.

In fierce lament he howls amain,

He scampers, marvelling in his throes

What brought him there

To sup on air,

While Jane unharmèd goes,

While Jane unharmèd goes.