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Preparing for the Fray.

Preparing for the coming fray,
The Camp was busy night and day;
The Rhino had his horn re-ground,
Because it had got blunt he found.

The Elephant had his tusks, too,
Re-sharpened till they looked like new;
In fact, the Ape's new grindstone strong
Was working nearly all day long.

All day the Camp was never still—
With marching to and fro, and drill;
And quite right too, since it appears
They hadn't been to war for years.

The oldest there had never known
Such preparations to be shown;
Indeed, they'd never had, somehow,
A great Rebellion until now.

PREPARING FOR THE FRAY

Next day took place the Grand Review,
  Before His Majesty,
The troops marched past in order true--
  A splendid sight to see.

The speech he made filled all with pride,
  As brave as brave could be:
"For Country and for King," he cried,
  "On, on to victory!"

The Advance Guard.

Then marched they forth unto the fray
A battle fierce took place next day;
I'm told it was a fearful fight,
That lasted quite from morn till night.

Through hail of shot and rain of lead,
His Rebel band the Tiger led;
And found that when the fight was done
A brilliant victory was won.

In vain King Leo's gallant band
(The Prince of Tails was in command)
Essayed the Rebel force to beat—
The effort ended in defeat.

Their cocoa-nuts, with deadly aim,
The Monkeys threw, but all the same;
Though Jumbo streams of water poured,
The enemy a victory scored.

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY

The Elephant Wounded.

Alas! for he so bravely fought,
  Poor Jumbo wounded lay;
The ambulance they quickly brought
  To where he fell that day.

"To Hospital this instant!" cried
  The Surgeon in command;
"Don't let them say he would have died
  If we'd not been at hand!"

"But, wait," he said, "till I with care
  Have quite examined him!"
He probed him here, and probed him there,
  And tested every limb.

"It's but a nervous shock!" he said,
  "Since he's so large and fat;
You can't take him, and so, instead,
  You'd better take his hat!"

A WOUNDED HERO

Ere dusk the King's troops had retreated,
By Tiger's Rebel band defeated;