King Francis was a hearty king and loved a royal sport:
And one day, as his lions strove, sat looking on the court:
The nobles filled the benches round, the ladies by their side,
And' 'mongst them Count de Lorge, with one he hoped to make his bride.
And truly 'twas a gallant thing, to see the crowning show;
Valour and love and a king above and the royal beasts below.
Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws;
They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws;
With wallowing might and stifled roar they rolled one on another.

Till all the pit, with sand and mane, was in a thund'rous smother;
The bloody foam above the bars came whizzing through the air;
Said Francis then, "Good gentlemen, we're better here than there!"
De Lorge's love o'erheard the king, a beauteous lively dame.
With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same:
She thought, 'The Count, my lover, is as brave as brave can be;
He surely would do desperate things to show his love of me!
King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the chance is wondrous fine,
I'll drop my glove to prove his love: great glory will be mine!"
She dropped her glove to prove his love: then looked on him and smiled;
He bowed and in a moment leaped among the lions wild!
The leap was quick; return was quick; he soon regained his place-
Then threw the glove but not with love, right in the lady's face!
"By Heaven!" cried Francis, "rightly done!" and he rose from where he sat:
"No love," quoth he, "but vanity, sets love a task like that!"