For all he taught the tender ymp, was but[*]
To banish cowardize and bastard feare;
His trembling hand he would him force
to put 205
Upon the Lyon and the rugged Beare;
And from the she Beares teats her whelps
to teare;
And eke wyld roaring Buls he would him
make
To tame, and ryde their backes not made
to beare;
And the Robuckes in flight to overtake,
210
That every beast for feare of him did fly and quake.
XXV
Thereby so fearlesse, and so fell he grew,
That his owne sire and maister of his
guise[*]
Did often tremble at his horrid vew,[*]
And oft for dread of hurt would him advise,
215
The angry beasts not rashly to despise,
Nor too much to provoke; for he would
learne
The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wise,
(A lesson hard) and make the Libbard sterne
Leave roaring, when in rage he for revenge did earne.
220
XXVI
And for to make his powre approved more,
Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell;
The spotted Panther, and the tusked Bore,
The Pardale swift, and the tigre cruell,
The Antelope, and Wolfe both fierce and
fell; 225
And them constraine in equall teme to
draw.
Such joy he had, their stubborne harts
to quell,
And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull
aw,
That his beheast they feared, as a tyrans law.
XXVII
His loving mother came upon a day
230
Unto the woods, to see her little sonne;
And chaunst unwares to meet him in the
way,
After his sportes, and cruell pastime
donne;
When after him a Lyonesse did runne,
That roaring all with rage, did lowd requere
235
Her children deare, whom he away had wonne:
The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare,
And lull in rugged armes, withouten childish feare.
XXVIII
The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight,
And turning backe, gan fast to fly away,
240
Untill with love revokt from vaine affright,
She hardly yet perswaded was to stay,
And then to him these womanish words gan
say;
Ah Satyrane, my dearling, and my joy,
For love of me leave off this dreadfull
play; 245
To dally thus with death is no fit toy,
Go find some other play-fellowes, mine own sweet boy.
XXIX
In these and like delights of bloudy game
He trayned was, till ryper yeares he raught;
And there abode, whilst any beast of name
250
Walkt in that forest, whom he had not
taught
To feare his force: and then his
courage haught
Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne,
And far abroad for straunge adventures
sought;
In which his might was never overthrowne;
255
But through all Faery lond his famous worth was blown.[*]