Adèle Barney Wilson

“ And begged for his horse the scraps of rich dough
Which all the fair cooks seemed so glad to bestow;
But, spite of his courtiers’ nudges and winks,
Preserved his own counsel, close-mouthed as a sphinx;
While each damsel tried, as a matter of pride,
To see who the largest amount could provide.
And his. horse, which seemed to approve the whole matter,
Kept on every day growing fatter and fatter.
“And begged for his horse the bits of rich dough.” ”

“ And often make biscuits and cookies and cake?”
She answered with pride which she could not disguise.
“And patties,” he queried, “and tartlets and pies?”
“Your Majesty, yes; even now I am making
Some pies that are very near ready for baking.”
So then he explained that his call appertained
To a wish for the bits of the dough that remained,
As his horse, he averred, had a curious passion
For eating these scraps in a ravenous fashion.
“I ’ll give him a treat, then,” she cried, running toward
The table, where lay the great white molding-board,
And scraping a cupful, she carried it out. ”

“ The least little fragment of pie-crust or paste.
“I measure with care the smallest ingredient,
To make the amount which she thinks is expedient.
And into the dough she says that I must
Most carefully work every scrap of the crust;
And if all has been planned exactly and true,
My molding-board 's clean when I am quite through.
Yes; there in the oven are my pies in a row,
And here is my board without one scrap of dough.”
“Economical maid!” the king cried in rapture,
“You ’re exactly the one I’ve been trying to capture.
Where others are reckless, you take pains to measure ”