The Gardener and his Lord by Jean de La Fontaine

A lover of gardens, half cit and half clown, / Possess'd a nice garden beside a small town; / And with it a field by a live hedge inclosed, / Where sorrel and lettuce, at random disposed, / A little of jasmine, and much of wild thyme, / Grew gaily, and all in their prime / To make up Miss Peggy's bouquet, / The grace of her bright wedding day. / For poaching in such a nice field -- 'twas a shame; / A foraging, cud-chewing hare was to blame. / Whereof the good owner bore down / This tale to the lord of the town: -- / 'Some mischievous animal, morning and night, / In spite of my caution, comes in for his bite. / He laughs at my cunning-set dead-falls and snares; / For clubbing and stoning as little he cares. / I think him a wizard. A wizard! the coot! / I'd catch him if he were a devil to boot! ' / The lord said, in haste to have sport for his hounds, / 'I'll clear him, I warrant you, out of your grounds; / To morrow I'll do it without any fail.'

The thing thus agreed on, all hearty and hale, / The lord and his party, at crack of the dawn, / With hounds at their heels canter'd over the lawn. / Arrived, said the lord in his jovial mood, / 'We'll breakfast with you, if your chickens are good. / That lass, my good man, I suppose is your daughter: / No news of a son-in-law? Any one sought her? / No doubt, by the score. Keep an eye on the docket, / Eh? Dost understand me? I speak of the pocket. ' / So saying, the daughter he graciously greeted, / And close by his lordship he bade her be seated; / Avow'd himself pleased with so handsome a maid, / And then with her kerchief familiarly play'd, -- / Impertinent freedoms the virtuous fair / Repell'd with a modest and lady-like air, -- / So much that her father a little suspected / The girl had already a lover elected. / Meanwhile in the kitchen what bustling and cooking! / 'For what are your hams? They are very good looking. ' / 'They're kept for your lordship. ' 'I take them,' said he; / 'Such elegant flitches are welcome to me. ' / He breakfasted finely his troop, with delight, -- / Dogs, horses, and grooms of the best appetite. / Thus he govern'd his host in the shape of a guest, / Unbottled his wine, and his daughter caress'd. / To breakfast, the huddle of hunters succeeds, / The yelping of dogs and the neighing of steeds, / All cheering and fixing for wonderful deeds; / The horns and the bugles make thundering din; / Much wonders our gardener what it can mean. / The worst is, his garden most wofully fares; / Adieu to its arbours, and borders, and squares; / Adieu to its chiccory, onions, and leeks; / Adieu to whatever good cookery seeks.