Never did I dream my friend
Stood in league with such a witch!

"Friendly was Uraka's mood,
Till at last with horrid shock,
Lo, I found her friendliness
Had to fiery passion grown.

"Yes, within that withered breast
Lust blazed up in monstrous wise,
And at once this vicious crone
Sought to drag me down to sin.

"Yet I prayed: 'Oh, pardon, ma'am!
Do not fancy I am one
Of those wanton Goethe Bards,--
I belong to Swabia's school.

"'Sweet Morality's our Muse
And the drawers she wears are made
Of the stoutest leather--Oh!
Do not wrong my virtue, pray!

"'Other bards may boast of soul,
Others phantasy--and some
Of their passion--Swabians have
Nothing but their innocence.

"'Nothing else do we possess!
Do not rob me of my pure,
Most religious beggar's cloak,--
Naked else my soul must go!'

"Thus I spoke, whereat the hag
Smiled with hideous irony,
Seized a switch of mistletoe,
Smote me over brow and cheek.

"Chilly spasms seized me then
Just as if a goose's skin
Crept across my limbs--but oh!
This was worse than goose's-skin!

"It was nothing more nor less
Than a dog-pelt! Since that hour,
That accursed hour, I've lived
Changed into a lumpy pug!"

Luckless wight! his piteous sobs
Now denied him further speech,
And so bitterly he wept
That he half dissolved in tears.

"Hark!" I spoke in pity then,
"Tell me how you might be freed
From this dog-skin. How may I
Give you back to muse and man?"

In despair, disconsolate,
Then he raised his paws in air,
And with sobs and groans at length
Thus his mournful plaint he made:

"Not before the Judgment Day
Shall I shed this horrid form,
If no noble virgin come
To absolve me of the curse.

"None can free me save a maid,
Pure, untouched by any man,
And she must fulfil a pact
Most inexorable--thus:

"Such unspotted maiden must
In Sylvester's holy night
Read the verse of Gustav Pfizer,
Read it and not fall asleep!

"If her chaste eyes do not close
At the reading--then, O bliss!
I shall disenchanted be,
Breathe as man--unpugged at last!"

"In that case, alas," said I,
"Never may I undertake
Your salvation, fo