Weather and living rough had stamped their faces, They were cast clerks, old sailors, old hard cases. Within the cowboy's van the rat-eyed wife, Her reddish hair in papers twisted close, Turned wet potatoes round against the knife, And in a bucket dropped the peelèd Oes. Her little girl was howling from her blows, The cowboy smoked and with a spanner whackt The metal target of his shooting act. And in another van more children cried [Pg 16]From being beaten or for being chid By fathers cross or mothers haggard-eyed, Made savage by the fortunes that betide. The rain dripped from the waggons: the drops glid Along the pony's flanks; the thick boots stamped The running muck for warmth, and hope was damped. Yet all of that small troupe in misery stuck, Were there by virtue of their nature's choosing To be themselves and take the season's luck, Counting the being artists worth the bruising. To be themselves, as artists, even if losing Wealth, comfort, health, in doing as they chose, Alone of all life's ways brought peace to those. So there below the forlorn woods, they grumbled, Stamping for warmth and shaking off the rain. Under the foundered van the tinkers fumbled, Fishing the splitted truss with wedge and chain. [Pg 17]Soon, all was done, the van could go again, Men cracked their whips, the horses' shoulders forged Up to the collar while the mud disgorged. So with a jangling of their chains they went, Lean horses, swaying vans and creaking wheels, Bright raindrops tilting off the van roof pent And reedy cockerels crying in the creels, Smoke driving down, men's shouts and children's squeals, Whips cracking, and the hayrack sheddings blowing; The Showman stood aside to watch them going. What with the rain and misery making mad, The Showman never saw a stranger come Till there he stood, a stranger roughly clad In ragged grey of woollen spun at home. Green sprigs were in his hat, and other some Stuck in his coat; he bore a wooden flute, And redbreasts hopped and carolled at his foot. It was King Cole, who smiled and spoke to him. [Pg 18]

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