Page:Stories of the Rhine country, (IA storiesofrhineco00alle).pdf/23

In the morning as he entered the hall
Where his picture hung against the wall,
A sweat like death all o’er him came,
For the rats had eaten it out of the frame.

As he looked there came a man from his farm,
And he had a countenance white with alarm;
“My lord, I opened your granaries this morn
And the rats had eaten all your corn.”

Another came running presently,
And he was pale as pale could be.
“Fly, my lord bishop, fly,” quoth he,
“Ten thousand rats are coming this way,
The Lord forgive you for yesterday.”

“I’ll go to my tower on the Rhine,” replied he,
“’Tis the safest place in Germany;
The walls are high and the shores are steep,
And the stream is strong and the waters deep.”

Bishop Hatto fearfully hastened away,
And he crossed the Rhine without delay,
And reached the tower and barred with care
All the windows, doors, and loopholes there.

He laid him down and closed his eyes,
But soon a scream made him arise;
He started and saw two eyes of flame
On his pillow from whence the screaming came.