And lo! within the crowded door,
  Stood Rounding, jovial elf;
Here shall the Muse frame no excuse,
  But frame the man himself.

A snow-white head, a merry eye,
  A cheek of jolly blush;
A claret tint laid on by health,
  With Master Reynard’s brush;

A hearty frame, a courteous bow,
  The prince he learned it from;
His age about threescore and ten,
  And there you have Old Tom.

In merriest key I trow was he,
  So many guests to boast;
So certain congregations meet,
  And elevate the host.

“Now welcome lads,” quoth he, “and prads,
  You’re all in glorious luck: 
Old Robin has a run to-day,
  A noted forest buck.

“Fair Mead’s the place, where Bob and Tom
  In red already ride;
’Tis but a step, and on a horse
  You soon may go a-stride.”

So off they scampered, man and horse,
  As time and temper pressed—­
But Huggins, hitching on a tree,
  Branched off from all the rest.

Howbeit he tumbled down in time
  To join with Tom and Bob,
All in Fair Mead, which held that day
  Its own fair mead of mob.

Idlers to wit—­no Guardians some,
  Of Tattlers in a squeeze;
Ramblers in heavy carts and vans,
  Spectators up in trees.

Butchers on backs of butchers’ hacks,
  That shambled to and fro! 
Bakers intent upon a buck,
  Neglectful of the dough!

Change Alley Bears to speculate,
  As usual, for a fall;
And green and scarlet runners, such
  As never climbed a wall!

’Twas strange to think what difference
  A single creature made;
A single stag had caused a whole
  Stagnation in their trade.

Now Huggins from his saddle rose,
  And in the stirrups stood: 
And lo! a little cart that came
  Hard by a little wood.

In shape like half a hearse,—­tho’ not
  For corpses in the least;
For this contained the deer alive,
  And not the dear deceased!

And now began a sudden stir,
  And then a sudden shout,
The prison-doors were opened wide,
  And Robin bounded out!

His antlered head shone blue and red,
  Bedecked with ribbons fine;
Like other bucks that come to ’list
  The hawbucks in the line.

One curious gaze of mild amaze,
  He turned and shortly took;
Then gently ran adown the mead,
  And bounded o’er the brook.

Now Huggins, standing far aloof,
  Had never seen the deer,
Till all at once he saw the beast
  Come charging in his rear.

Away he went, and many a score
  Of riders did the same,
On horse and ass—­like high and low
  And Jack pursuing game!

Good Lord! to see the riders now,
  Thrown off with sudden whirl,
A score within the purling brook,
  Enjoyed their “early purl.”