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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Mistletoe (A Christmas Tale)</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">A farmer's wife, both young and gay,<br>And fresh as op'ning buds of May;<br>Had taken to herself, a Spouse,<br>And plighted many solemn vows,<br>That she a faithful mate would prove,<br>In meekness, duty, and in love!<br>That she, despising joy and wealth,<br>Would be, in sickness and in health,<br>His only comfort and his Friend--<br>But, mark the sequel,--and attend!</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">This Farmer, as the tale is told--<br>Was somewhat cross, and somewhat old!<br>His, was the wintry hour of life,<br>While summer smiled before his wife;<br>A contrast, rather form'd to cloy<br>The zest of matrimonial joy!</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">'Twas Christmas time, the peasant throng<br>Assembled gay, with dance and Song:<br>The Farmer's Kitchen long had been<br>Of annual sports the busy scene;<br>The wood-fire blaz'd, the chimney wide<br>Presented seats, on either side;<br>Long rows of wooden Trenchers, clean,<br>Bedeck'd with holly-boughs, were seen;<br>The shining Tankard's foamy ale<br>Gave spirits to the Goblin tale,<br>And many a rosy cheek--grew pale.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">It happen'd, that some sport to shew<br>The ceiling held a MISTLETOE.<br>A magic bough, and well design'd<br>To prove the coyest Maiden, kind.<br>A magic bough, which DRUIDS old<br>Its sacred mysteries enroll'd;<br>And which, or gossip Fame's a liar,<br>Still warms the soul with vivid fire;<br>Still promises a store of bliss<br>While bigots snatch their Idol's kiss.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">This MISTLETOE was doom'd to be<br>The talisman of Destiny;<br>Beneath its ample boughs we're told<br>Full many a timid Swain grew bold;<br>Full many a roguish eye askance<br>Beheld it with impatient glance,<br>And many a ruddy cheek confest,<br>The triumphs of the beating breast;<br>And many a rustic rover sigh'd<br>Who ask'd the kiss, and was denied.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">First MARG'RY smil'd and gave her Lover<br>A Kiss; then thank'd her stars, 'twas over! <br>Next, KATE, with a reluctant pace,<br>Was tempted to the mystic place;<br>Then SUE, a merry laughing jade<br>A dimpled yielding blush betray'd;<br>While JOAN her chastity to shew<br>Wish'd "the bold knaves would serve her so,"<br>She'd "teach the rogues such wanton play!"<br>And well she could, she knew the way.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">The FARMER, mute with jealous care,<br>Sat sullen, in his wicker chair;<br>Hating the noisy gamesome host<br>Yet, fearful to resign his post;<br>He envied all their sportive strife<br>But most he watch'd his blooming wife,<br>And trembled, lest her steps should go,<br>Incautious, near the MISTLETOE.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Now HODGE, a youth of rustic grace<br>With form athletic; manly face;<br>On MISTRESS HOMESPUN turn'd his eye<br>And breath'd a soul-declaring sigh!<br>Old HOMESPUN, mark'd his list'ning Fair<br>And nestled in his wicker chair;<br>HODGE swore, she might his heart command--<br>The pipe was dropp'd from HOMESPUN'S hand!</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">HODGE prest her slender waist around;<br>The FARMER check'd his draught, and frown'd!<br>And now beneath the MISTLETOE<br>'Twas MISTRESS HOMESPUN'S turn to go;<br>Old Surly shook his wicker chair,<br>And sternly utter'd--"Let her dare!"</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">HODGE, to the FARMER'S wife declar'd<br>Such husbands never should be spar'd;<br>Swore, they deserv'd the worst disgrace,<br>That lights upon the wedded race;<br>And vow'd--that night he would not go<br>Unblest, beneath the MISTLETOE.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">The merry group all recommend<br>An harmless Kiss, the strife to end:<br>"Why not ?" says MARG'RY, "who would fear,<br>"A dang'rous moment, once a year?"<br>SUSAN observ'd, that "ancient folks<br>"Were seldom pleas'd with youthful jokes;"<br>But KATE, who, till that fatal hour,<br>Had held, o'er HODGE, unrivall'd pow'r,<br>With curving lip and head aside<br>Look'd down and smil'd in conscious pride,<br>Then, anxious to conceal her care,<br>She humm'd--"what fools some women are!"</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Now, MISTRESS HOMESPUN, sorely vex'd,<br>By pride and jealous rage perplex'd,<br>And angry, that her peevish spouse<br>Should doubt her matrimonial vows,<br>But, most of all, resolved to make<br>An envious rival's bosom ache;<br>Commanded Hodge to let her go,<br>Nor lead her to the Mistletoe;</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=455723" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">"Why should you ask it o'er and o'er?"<br>Cried she, "we've been there twice before!"<br>'Tis thus, to check a rival's sway,<br>That Women oft themselves betray;<br>While VANITY, alone, pursuing,<br>They rashly prove, their own undoing.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><a href="http://poems.citatepedia.com/">poem</a> by <strong><a rel="author" href="http://authors.citatepedia.com/by.php?a=Mary+Darby+Robinson">Mary Darby Robinson</a></strong></div>