The Lion and the Shew -- part two
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The lion faced his challenger, standing in the light
He was such a small creature, hardly worth the fight
So he called to the wise owl and asked him for a clue
How would they fight this duel, what should they do?
The Owl was slow in his answer, it took him all day
"You will toss a coin and the winner is to say."

So feeling quite foolish the Lion flipped a sovereign

The coin went up and over sparkling in the sun

"Tail's!" called the Lion and the Shew nodded quietly

Down came the piece of gold, the tail subdued and missing

The Shew looked up with a smile "We're going to have a tug of war!"


So the lion chuckled his victory already sealed
While the shrew calmly sat, a dung beetle he peeled
Out in the northern Dun we'll go and hold this bout
Without another word the Lion bounded out

Down in the Dun they rooted for position

A great vine twisted with others was to be the rope of their match

The Shrew and the Lion, a great distance apart

Three taps on the rope and they would begin


Tap tap on the rope, get ready now, brace your soul
The Shrew spied an old friend, they called him Mister Mole
"Mister Mole!" the shrew did cry
"yes, who goes there?" came the reply
"Mister shrew, that is who!" he called with grace
"Ah forgive me, I could not see your face"
"Blesings be that you would help me?"
"Whatever could you ask of me, whatever could it be?"


The shrew accounted his plan to the wizened little rodent

Thread the vine through your tunnels and tie it to a tree

We will take that Lion with wit over his muscle

And so the Mole agreed, clearing his family from the nest

The shrew rubbed his paws as he imagined the dozy lion


At the other end of the jungle, the Lion began to spout
"Why is that little coward taking so long?" the big cat did shout
He paced and grumbled impatiently, his nerves beginning to crack
"Damnit baboon get off my bloody back!"
There were three taps on the rope and the lion began to pull
His tiny weakling shrew had inherited the strength of ten bull!


Vine pulled taut through the burrows of the mole

The heaving and sweating of the lion at the other end

While the Shrew laughed and danced with the mole babies

This fight surely in his pocket

The sun rose and fell twice afore the lion was done
"Never have I met such a beast, never, nope, none!"
The lion conceited defeat and roared to the shrew let go
Mister shrew shrieked back, "unless you agree my conditions the answer
is no!"
So the Lion agreed a meeting, the fight was lost in his favour
But he fancied trying shrew, an exotic new flavour


What would become of our friend, I tell you not!
Wait until the final installment, your stomach in a knot
Our Shrew is plenty crafty, our Lion plenty strong
Who will win bout three, when the jungle bell goes 'Bong!'

Penned by my hand on the 3rd of Fas, in the year 435 AD.