ale's a myth,
Chloe danced mid rustic song
Indefatigably with
Amorous Damon all day long.
This was all the joy she knew
(Quite enough, no doubt), and yet,
Phyllis, when _you_ gambol, _you_
Rather gamble at roulette.

Simple 'twas in suchlike days
Wooing Chloe. Now, alas,
_You_'ve no taste for simple ways,
Much prefer green baize to grass.
Fled your interest in swains;
Nothing for my sighs you care;
All your joy is little trains,
Oddly dubbed "chemin de fer."

Phyllis, if your fixed intent
Is that you forsake the dance,
Quit Arcadian merriment
For exciting games of chance,
I've the best of 'em by heaps:
Come with me, my dear, and call
At the Registrar's; he keeps
One big gamble worth them all.

* * * * *

CON.

Con was the conjurer of the king
Ere the coming of Padraig Mor,
And a wand he had, and a golden ring,
And a five-prong crown he wore;
And his robe was trimmed with minever--
His robe of the royal blue,
For Con was the wonderful conjuror
In the days when the tricks were new.

He could pick a rabbit from out of a poke
Where never had rabbit lain;
He could pulp your watch like an egg's red yoke
And could give it you whole again;
And the king he laughed, "Ha-ha," he laughed,
Till they thumped on his back anon;
And the other magicians went dancing daft
To see the magic of Con.

Now Con he climbed on a moonbeam grey
To the dusk of the god's great shop,
And he stole the Elixir of Life away,
And he drank it, every drop;
He poured the draught in a golden cup
On a wonderful day that's gone,
And he swilled it round and he tossed it up,
And that was the curse of Con.

And the old king died at ninety-six
And his son he reigned instead;
But Con he conjured the same old tricks,
And his hair crow-black on his head;
And the new king died, and another king,
And another king after he,
But Con went on with his conjuring
The same as it used to be.

When the fifth king came (he was long of limb
And a hasty man) he swore,
When Con he conjured his tricks for him,
And he kicked Con through the door;
For that's in the songs the minstrels sung,
And thus is the story told,