THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

90 THE B.OOK OP POETET. [PAET I.
The source of pain and suffering great,
So now it is in Wei's poor State.
Let us join hands and haste away,
My friends and lovers all.
'Tis not a time will brook delay;
Things for prompt action call.
2 As when the north winds whistle shrill,
And drifting snows each hollow fill,
The source of pain and suffering great.
So now it is in Wei's poor State.
Let us join hands, and leave for aye,
My friends and lovers all,
'Tis not a time will brook delay;
Things for prompt action call.
3 We look for red, and foxes meet;
For black, and crows our vision greet.
The creatures, both of omen bad,
Well suit the state of Wei so sad.
Let us join hands and mount our cars,
My friends and lovers all.
No time remains for wordy jars ;
Things for prompt action call.
XVII.
The Tslng neu; narrative. A GENTLEMAN DEPLORES HIS DISAP
POINTMENT IN NOT BEING MET BY A LADY ACCORDING TO ENGAGEMENT,
AND CELEBRATES HER GIFTS AND BEAUTY.
1 0 sweet maiden, so fair and retiring,
At the corner I'm waiting for you;
And I'm scratching my head, and inquiring
What on earth it were best I should do.
2 Oh! the maiden, so handsome and coy,
For a pledge gave a slim rosy reed.
Than the reed is she brighter, my joy;
On her loveliness how my thoughts feed !
3 In the pastures a t'e blade she sought,
And she gave it, so elegant, rare.
BE: III. XIX.] THE BOOK OP POETRY.
Oh ! the grass does not dwell in my thought,
But the donor, more elegant, fair.
XVIII.
The Sin t'ae; allusive-narrative. SATIRIZING THE MARRIAGE OF
DUKE SEUEN AND SEUEN KEANG.
In the introductory note to Ode IX., it has been stated how duke
Seuen took to himself the lady who had been contracted to marry his
eon Keih-tsze. It is only necessary to add here, that to accomplish his
purpose, he caused a towpr to be built near the Ho, where he received the
lady on her way from Ts'e, and detained her. We are not to suppose
that the duke was hump-backed or otherwise mis-shaped ;—the poet so
describes Mm, to express how he loathed his character.
1 The New tower, fresh and bright, they show,
Wliere its vast volume rolls the Ho;—
For bride a palace rare.
To Wei she came, a mate to find;
She sought a husband young and kind,
But found this mis-shaped bear.
2 There stands the New tower grand and high,
Where with still stream the Ho flows by ;—
For bride a palace rare.
To Wei she came, a mate to find;
She sought a husband young and kind,
But found this mis-shaped bear.
3 As when the net for fish they set,
And lo ! a goose ensnared they get,
They stamp with sudden ire;
So might she stamp who came to wed
The genial son, and in his stead
Got but the hump-backed sire.
XIX.
The Urli-tsze ; narrative. SURMISES AS TO THE DEATH or TWO
SONS or DUKE SEUEN.
It has been stated, on Ode IX., how Seuen Keang and Sob had plotted
to clear the way for Soli's succession to the State by getting rid of Keih-
tsze, the proper heir. At last the duke was prevailed on to send him on
a mission to Ts'e, haviug arranged that he should be waylaid by ruffians,
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