Page:Peter Bell (Wordsworth).djvu/50

34 Upon the beast the sapling rings,—

Heav'd his lank sides, his limbs they stirr'd;

He gave a groan—and then another,

Of that which went before the brother,

And then he gave a third:

All by the moonlight river side

He gave three miserable groans,

Tis come then to a pretty pass,"

Said Peter to the groaning ass,

"But I will bang your bones!"

And Peter halts to gather breath,

And now full clearly was it shown

(What he before in part had seen)

How gaunt was the poor Ass and lean,

Yea wasted to a skeleton!