The Animals Rebellion | Page 2

they forth unto the fray?A battle fierce took place next day;?I'm told it was a fearful fight,?That lasted quite from morn till night.
Through hail of shot and rain of lead,?His Rebel band the Tiger led;?And found that when the fight was done?A brilliant victory was won.
In vain King Leo's gallant band?(The Prince of Tails was in command)?Essayed the Rebel force to beat--?The effort ended in defeat.
Their cocoa-nuts, with deadly aim,?The Monkeys threw, but all the same;?Though Jumbo streams of water poured,?The enemy a victory scored.
[Illustration: THE FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY]
The Elephant Wounded.
Alas! for he so bravely fought,?Poor Jumbo wounded lay;?The ambulance they quickly brought?To where he fell that day.
"To Hospital this instant!" cried?The Surgeon in command;?"Don't let them say he would have died?If we'd not been at hand!"
"But, wait," he said, "till I with care?Have quite examined him!"?He probed him here, and probed him there,?And tested every limb.
"It's but a nervous shock!" he said,?"Since he's so large and fat;?You can't take him, and so, instead,?You'd better take his hat!"
[Illustration: A WOUNDED HERO]
Ere dusk the King's troops had retreated,?By Tiger's Rebel band defeated;?They ran pell-mell and helter-skelter,?For any place to give them shelter.
The Elephant, though he was wounded,?Ran faster than the big Baboon did;?The Owl to Camp flew like a bird?To tell the King what had occurred.
Rejoicings in the Rebel Camp
Rejoicings in the Rebel Camp?Were great indeed that night;?Each tent hung out a Chinese lamp?To celebrate the fight.
They sang and shouted, o'er and o'er,?Until their throats were tired;?They let off fireworks by the score,?A "feu de joie" was fired.
When Wolf, who's not a marksman good,?Shot holes in Bear's new hat,?Bear never even said, "You should?Apologise for that!"
In short, they would, as like as not,?Have kept it up till day;?Had someone not found out they'd shot?Their powder all away.
[Illustration: REJOICINGS IN THE REBEL CAMP]
Marching on the King's Capital.
Next morn, with victory elate,?"Why should we wait or hesitate??We'll march at once, without delay,?Upon the Capital!" cried they.
"That's capital!" a Monkey said,?(But he at once was sent to bed!)?But, all the same, it was agreed,?So General Tiger took the lead.
With flying flags and drums rat-tan?The Rebels' onward march began.?Cried Tiger, "Leoville one mile!"?"That's nothing!" said the Crocodile.
But Wolf, who kept a good look-out,?Saw Private Whiskers out on scout.?"Ha, ha," cried he, "I've caught a spy--?That means promotion by and by!"
[Illustration: MARCHING ON THE KING'S CAPITAL]
"Great victory!" said Wolf, with pride,?And showed his prize with rapture;?"Well done, indeed," the Tiger cried,?"A most important capture!"
The Battle.
Soon with the Lion's gallant troops?The Rebels were engaged;?This way and that, 'midst wildest whoops?The tide of battle raged.
The Elephant first sounded "Charge!"?And valiant deeds performed;?The Rebels saw his trunk so large,?And trembled when he stormed.
At first, though, neither side gained much;?But when 'twas paw to paw,?The Owl, in his report, said, "Such?A fight I never saw!"
Said Wolf, "No more at war I'll scoff,?I think I'd best begone!"?And when the foe's last gun went off?The battle still went on.
[Illustration: THE BATTLE]
The Cavalry Charge.
But, oh! the finest sight to see?Was Leo's Giraffe Cavalry;?As down the battle plain they tore,?The Rebels saw that all was o'er.
As on the Monkey troopers swept,?The Bunnies to their holes all crept;?The foe who set triumphant out?Was first a rabble, then a rout!
The Owl, in "Zooland," said, next day:?"Our troops like chaff swept them away;?Their praises let us loudly sing,?Who won the day for Leo, King!"
[Illustration: THE CHARGE OF THE GIRAFFE CAVALRY]
The leader, Tiger, soon was caught,?And into Camp a prisoner brought;?A warning to this very day,?To all who at Rebellion play.
The Court-Martial.
Field Marshal Leo then and there?A stern Court-Martial held;?The prisoner, with defiant air,?Explained why he rebelled.
"Such conduct," said the President,?"Admits of no defence;?But since you ask it, I'll consent?To hear the evidence."
'Twas heard--in "Zooland" of that week?You'll find the Owl's report;?The President then rose to speak,?The sentence of the Court.
"On all counts guilty he appears--?The prisoner's sentenced to?A lenient term--a hundred years?Confinement in the Zoo!"
[Illustration: THE COURT-MARTIAL]
The Rebels Surrender.
The other Rebels, when they heard?Of what to Tiger had occurred,?Surrendered everyone next day,?And threw down arms without delay.
The Bear said, "I don't want to keep?My blunderbuss--'twas much too cheap!"?The Leopard and the Crocodile?Threw theirs upon the growing pile.
Of loyalty each took the oath,?While Jumbo and Lord Rhino, both?Promoted Colonels by the King,?Kept watch that each his gun did bring.
And Colonel Jumbo winked his eye?To Colonel Rhino, standing by:?"We'd be Field Marshals soon, no fear,?If we'd Rebellions ev'ry year!"
[Illustration: THE REBELS SURRENDER]
This done, the prisoners were sent?Off to perpetual banishment;?Forbidden thenceforth, under pain?Of death, to e'er come back again!?Oh, sad indeed that Rebel band,?That bade farewell to dear Zooland.
One of the King's Heroes.
T'was soon remarked by not a few?That Hippo was not seen;?The rumour ran--alas! too true--?That he had wounded been.
Then messengers went out and found?The hero of the strife;?His wounds with bandages were bound?By his most