Ballads By William Makepeace Thackeray Part 19

Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-ding-a-ring-ding, The bells they made a merry merry ring, From the tall tall steeple; and all the people (Except the Jews) came and filled the pews-- Poles, Russians and Germans, To hear the sermons Which HYACINTH preached G.o.dly to those Germans and Poles, For the safety of their souls.

III.

[How this priest was short and fat of body;]

A worthy priest he was and a stout-- You've seldom looked on such a one; For, though he fasted thrice in a week, Yet nevertheless his skin was sleek; His waist it spanned two yards about And he weighed a score of stone.

IV.

[And like unto the author of "Plymley's Letters."]

A worthy priest for fasting and prayer And mortification most deserving; And as for preaching beyond compare, He'd exert his powers for three or four hours, With greater pith than Sydney Smith Or the Reverend Edward Irving.

V.

[Of what convent he was prior, and when the convent was built.]

He was the prior of Saint Sophia (A c.o.c.kney rhyme, but no better I know)-- Of St. Sophia, that Church in Kiow, Built by missionaries I can't tell when; Who by their discussions converted the Russians, And made them Christian men.

VI.

[Of Saint Sophia of Kioff; and how her statue miraculously travelled thither.]

Sainted Sophia (so the legend vows) With special favor did regard this house; And to uphold her converts' new devotion Her statue (needing but her legs for HER s.h.i.+p) Walks of itself across the German Ocean; And of a sudden perches In this the best of churches, Whither all Kiovites come and pay it grateful wors.h.i.+p.

VII.

[And how Kioff should have been a happy city; but that]

Thus with her patron-saints and pious preachers Recorded here in catalogue precise, A goodly city, worthy magistrates, You would have thought in all the Russian states The citizens the happiest of all creatures,-- The town itself a perfect Paradise.

VIII.

[Certain wicked Cossacks did besiege it,]

No, alas! this well-built city Was in a perpetual fidget; For the Tartars, without pity, Did remorselessly besiege it.

Tartars fierce, with sword and sabres, Huns and Turks, and such as these, Envied much their peaceful neighbors By the blue Borysthenes.

[Murdering the citizens,]

Down they came, these ruthless Russians, From their steppes, and woods, and fens, For to levy contributions On the peaceful citizens.

Winter, Summer, Spring, and Autumn, Down they came to peaceful Kioff, Killed the burghers when they caught 'em, If their lives they would not buy off.

[Until they agreed to pay a tribute yearly.]

Till the city, quite confounded By the ravages they made, Humbly with their chief compounded, And a yearly tribute paid.

[How they paid the tribute, and suddenly refused it,]

Which (because their courage lax was) They discharged while they were able: Tolerated thus the tax was, Till it grew intolerable,

[To the wonder of the Cossack envoy.]

And the Calmuc envoy sent, As before to take their dues all, Got, to his astonishment, A unanimous refusal!

[Of a mighty gallant speech]

"Men of Kioff!" thus courageous Did the stout lord-mayor harangue them, "Wherefore pay these sneaking wages To the hectoring Russians? hang them!

[That the lord-mayor made,]

"Hark! I hear the awful cry of Our forefathers in their graves; "'Fight, ye citizens of Kioff!

Kioff was not made for slaves.'

[Exhorting the burghers to pay no longer.]

"All too long have ye betrayed her; Rouse, ye men and aldermen, Send the insolent invader-- Send him starving back again."

IX.

[Of their thanks and heroic resolves.]

He spoke and he sat down; the people of the town, Who were fired with a brave emulation, Now rose with one accord, and voted thanks unto the lord- Mayor for his oration:

[They dismiss the envoy, and set about drilling.]

The envoy they dismissed, never placing in his fist So much as a single s.h.i.+lling; And all with courage fired, as his lords.h.i.+p he desired, At once set about their drilling.

[Of the City guard: viz. Militia, dragoons, and bombardiers, and their commanders.]

Then every city ward established a guard, Diurnal and nocturnal: Militia volunteers, light dragoons, and bombardiers, With an alderman for colonel.