den is the
Great Tun, erected at Fort Konigstein by General Kyaw, the height of
which is 17 Dresden ells, and its diameter at the bung 12 ells. This
vast vessel, which is always replenished with excellent wine, is capable
of containing 3,709 hogsheads; and on its head is a plate with a Latin
inscription, to the following purport:--

"Welcome, traveller, and admire this monument, dedicated to festivity,
in order to exhilarate the mind with a glass, in the year 1725, by
Frederick Augustus, king of Poland and elector of Saxony, the father of
his country, the Titus of the age, the delight of mankind. Therefore,
drink to the health of the sovereign, the country, the electoral family,
and Baron Kyaw, governor of Konigstein; and if thou art able, according
to the dignity of this cask, the most capacious of all casks, drink to
the prosperity of the whole universe--and so farewell."

INA.

* * * * *

THE COOK AND THE CRANES.

FROM THE SPANISH.

(_For the Mirror_.)

Don John de Ayala,--a chap
Whose worst mishap
Was to be curs'd with a purloining cook.
(A fellow, who 'twas plain
Play'd "cut and come again,"
And scarcely reck'd, if all was seen he took.)
Don John de Ayala, went forth to look
For birds, and shot a crane;
Which, forthwith giving the aforesaid knave
To cook, according to the Spanish taste;
_He_, to his dainty-loving _sposa_ gave
A leg at once, well deeming, that to waste
So fair an opportunity for sin
Would be (as _he_ should say a _burning_ shame;)
But, when the bird, at dinner-time went in,
Cried Juan, "Where's the left leg of my game?"
"Soul of my body, sir!" roar'd cook,--no fire
In his own kitchen, showing phiz more red,
Yet whether thus, from guilt he blazed, or ire,
Or _shame_ perdie, hath ne'er been sung or said,
"Soul of my body!--other leg?--Well done!--
No crane that e'er _I_ saw, had more than _one_."

Juan, thus silenc'd, but not satisfied,
In his own mind revolv'd
The neatest way
Of telling master Brazenface, he lied;
And so resolv'd
To take him out crane-shooting the next day.
They went:--"Well, cook," quoth Ayala, "for fun
I've brought thee here,
Where quickly 'twill appear
That if cranes have not _two_ legs,--why, they've _none_."
"Say you so, Senor?--look!--yon long-neck'd flock,
Each bird of it on _one_ foot, ends the matter;
Ay--there