Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/Monsieur Kaniferstane
Monsieur Kaniferstane.
Once on a time a little French marquis
For travel felt a mighty inclination,
To show himself, and foreign parts to see,
He undertook a bold peregrination.
At Dieppe he found a sloop just under weigh,
By Dutchmen manned, and bound for Amsterdam;
Wind and tide serving, off he sails away,
And soon sea-sick, beyond finesse or sham,
Close in the cabin he preferred to nestle;
There, faint and languid, for a space he dozed,
Till from the increased commotion in the vessel,
That land might be in sight he well supposed;
So to the deck he climbed, with empty maw,
And sure enough Dutch terra firma saw.
For travel felt a mighty inclination,
To show himself, and foreign parts to see,
He undertook a bold peregrination.
At Dieppe he found a sloop just under weigh,
By Dutchmen manned, and bound for Amsterdam;
Wind and tide serving, off he sails away,
And soon sea-sick, beyond finesse or sham,
Close in the cabin he preferred to nestle;
There, faint and languid, for a space he dozed,
Till from the increased commotion in the vessel,
That land might be in sight he well supposed;
So to the deck he climbed, with empty maw,
And sure enough Dutch terra firma saw.
While in the cabin sick and sad he lay,
Though a true Frenchman, he ne'er dreamt of talking;
But when on deck, his spirits grew more gay,
And his blood 'gan to circulate with walking;
He recollected that he had a tongue.
Now though a Frenchman French with ease can jabber,
And doubtless thinks all other ears are hung
Like those he left at home, yet a Dutch swabber
Is apt enough no other speech to know
Than that which first he learned from Mother Frow.
Though a true Frenchman, he ne'er dreamt of talking;
But when on deck, his spirits grew more gay,
And his blood 'gan to circulate with walking;
He recollected that he had a tongue.
Now though a Frenchman French with ease can jabber,
And doubtless thinks all other ears are hung
Like those he left at home, yet a Dutch swabber
Is apt enough no other speech to know
Than that which first he learned from Mother Frow.
Such was the case with all the trunk-hosed crew:
The marquis, struck with wonder and delight,
Enraptured gazed on objects all so new.
At length a sumptuous palace caught his sight,
Which, proudly rising from the water's side,
Showed its new-painted front, with flowerets gay,
While trim responsive gardens, spreading wide,
Displayed Dutch taste in regular array.
Anxious to know who owned the pleasing scene,
The marquis, bowing with a grinning face,
Demanded of a tar, in French I ween,
To whom belonged that most enchanting place.
The tar, who knew as much of French as Greek,
Eyed him at first with something like disdain;
Then, as he shifted round his quid to speak,
With growling voice, cried, "Ik kan nick verstaan."[1]
The marquis, struck with wonder and delight,
Enraptured gazed on objects all so new.
At length a sumptuous palace caught his sight,
Which, proudly rising from the water's side,
Showed its new-painted front, with flowerets gay,
While trim responsive gardens, spreading wide,
Displayed Dutch taste in regular array.
Anxious to know who owned the pleasing scene,
The marquis, bowing with a grinning face,
Demanded of a tar, in French I ween,
To whom belonged that most enchanting place.
The tar, who knew as much of French as Greek,
Eyed him at first with something like disdain;
Then, as he shifted round his quid to speak,
With growling voice, cried, "Ik kan nick verstaan."[1]
"Oh, oh!" replied the marquis, "does it so?
To Monsieur Kaniferstane, lucky man;
The palace to be sure lies rather low,
But then the size and grandeur of the plan!
I never saw a château on the Seine
Equal to this of Monsieur Kaniferstane."
To Monsieur Kaniferstane, lucky man;
The palace to be sure lies rather low,
But then the size and grandeur of the plan!
I never saw a château on the Seine
Equal to this of Monsieur Kaniferstane."
While thus he spoke, the sailors anchor cast.
As the marquis descended on the quay,
He saw a charming frow that chanced to pass,
In liveliest bloom of youth, and beauty gay,
Bedecked with all the Amsterdam parade
Of gold and silver, pearls and jewels rare.
On the marquis she much impression made;
His tender breast soon owned a pleasing flame:
Stopping a passenger, he bowing said,
"Monsieur, pray tell me who's that lovely dame."
The civil Dutchman bowed to him again,
And gently answered, "Ik kan nick verstaan."
As the marquis descended on the quay,
He saw a charming frow that chanced to pass,
In liveliest bloom of youth, and beauty gay,
Bedecked with all the Amsterdam parade
Of gold and silver, pearls and jewels rare.
On the marquis she much impression made;
His tender breast soon owned a pleasing flame:
Stopping a passenger, he bowing said,
"Monsieur, pray tell me who's that lovely dame."
The civil Dutchman bowed to him again,
And gently answered, "Ik kan nick verstaan."
"What, Monsieur Kaniferstane's wife!" the marquis cried;
"He who has got yon gay and sumptuous house?
Well, that some men have luck can't be denied;
What, such an edifice, and such a spouse!
Ma foi, I think I never should complain,
Had I the lot of Monsieur Kaniferstane."
"He who has got yon gay and sumptuous house?
Well, that some men have luck can't be denied;
What, such an edifice, and such a spouse!
Ma foi, I think I never should complain,
Had I the lot of Monsieur Kaniferstane."
As on the morrow through the streets he passed,
Gazing on all the pretty sights about,
On a large open hall his sight he cast,
Where bustling crowds were going in and ont.
Joining the throng, he entrance soon obtained,
And found the people much engaged to see
The numbers which the blanks and prizes gained
In their high mightinesses' lottery.
Some laughed, some wept, some groaned, and some exclaimed,
In all the spirit of true castle-builders;
When on a sudden a loud voice proclaimed
The sovereign prize of twenty thousand guilders.
And who," the marquis cried to one close by,
"Who has the luck this mighty prize to gain? *
The man surveyed him with a doubtful eye,
And slowly answered, "Ik kan nick verstaan."
Gazing on all the pretty sights about,
On a large open hall his sight he cast,
Where bustling crowds were going in and ont.
Joining the throng, he entrance soon obtained,
And found the people much engaged to see
The numbers which the blanks and prizes gained
In their high mightinesses' lottery.
Some laughed, some wept, some groaned, and some exclaimed,
In all the spirit of true castle-builders;
When on a sudden a loud voice proclaimed
The sovereign prize of twenty thousand guilders.
And who," the marquis cried to one close by,
"Who has the luck this mighty prize to gain? *
The man surveyed him with a doubtful eye,
And slowly answered, "Ik kan nick verstaan."
"What, Monsieur Kaniferstane got the prize!"
The marquis cried; "he's lucky, on my life;
He who has got a house of such a size.
And such a garden, too, and such a wife;
My good sir, you may very well be vain.
With all these treasures. Monsieur Kaniferstane."
The marquis cried; "he's lucky, on my life;
He who has got a house of such a size.
And such a garden, too, and such a wife;
My good sir, you may very well be vain.
With all these treasures. Monsieur Kaniferstane."
A week or two elapsed, when as he strayed,
On novelty intent, he chanced to meet,
Adorned with solemn pomp and grave parade,
A sumptuous burial coming up the street;
"Monsieur," said he, as bowing to a baker
Who left his shop the pageantry to see,
And just had nodded to the undertaker,
"Pray, Monsieur, whose grand burial may this be?"
The baker, as he turned to shop again,
Replied most gravely, "Ik kan nick verstaan."
On novelty intent, he chanced to meet,
Adorned with solemn pomp and grave parade,
A sumptuous burial coming up the street;
"Monsieur," said he, as bowing to a baker
Who left his shop the pageantry to see,
And just had nodded to the undertaker,
"Pray, Monsieur, whose grand burial may this be?"
The baker, as he turned to shop again,
Replied most gravely, "Ik kan nick verstaan."
"Ah! me," exclaimed the marquis, " what a pity,
Monsieur Kaniferstane! what surprise!
He had the noblest palace in this city,
And such a wife, and such a glorious prize.
Alack, alack, good fortune smiles in vain!
So rest in peace, good Monsieur Kaniferstane."
Monsieur Kaniferstane! what surprise!
He had the noblest palace in this city,
And such a wife, and such a glorious prize.
Alack, alack, good fortune smiles in vain!
So rest in peace, good Monsieur Kaniferstane."
- ↑ "I do not understand you."