For the Gobbledegooks, in their kingdom stupendous,
The feeling is thrilling, triumphant, tremendous.
Yes, spring has arrived, baby birds are a-tweeting.
The buds are a-bursting, the wee lambs a-bleating.
On the streets of the town, see the folk in their finery,
Silken and silvery, shimmery, shinery.
Magog the Magician's all freshly new-fangled;
His robe's made of rainbows, his hat is bespangled.
And now, let us peek round the Palace's garden,
With flowers overflowing -- Oh! I do beg your pardon!
Come, quickly away. It is best we're retreating;
Prince Rupert and Hilda are ... holding a meeting.
*************************
But out in the countryside, something is stirring,
With thunderous thumping, and wheezing, and whirring.
The villagers hear a loud roaring and rumbling,
And look, half a hillside is crackling and crumbling.
Two wings are outspread like a galleon's sails,
A green body covered in dinner-plate scales;
Four feet full of claws that look prickly and poky,
Great teeth in a mouth that is fiery and smoky.
"A dragon!" cry all of the Gobbledegooks,
And they run to seek help from their Generals and Dukes,
Who hold a grand conference, where speeches are spoken
On just what to do with a dragon when woken.
Prince Rupert strides forward, cries, "I have a plan!
"I'm sure it will save us, if anything can.
That dragon's just starving, I'm willing to venture he
Hasn't been fed since the fourth or fifth century."
"Now, I have a friend at the High Tease Cafe,
Whose baking will brighten most anyone's day."
And so it's decided, with no more ado.
Young Hilda is summoned; she summons her crew.
And what do you s'pose she will cook for a dragon?
Why, five hundred cream-cakes will fill up one wagon.
There's a bushel of pastry, a cart-load of pies,
And a special concoction called 'Dragon Surprise'.
It's time for delivery; Rupert calls forth
His ten bravest men and they boldly ride north
To the spot where the dragon awaits, where they'll see
If a fire-breather really likes cakes for his tea.
Prince Rupert, not showing a morsel of fear,
Calls out to the creature, his voice strong and clear,
"Ahoy there, The Dragon, we've brought you some food.
We'd love you to taste it, if you're in the mood."
The answer comes rumbling, "Why, that's very kind.
I always wake hungry, so if you don't mind...."
The cream-cakes he gobbles, in less than a minute,
Then swallows the cart, with the pies that are in it.
The pastries are next, there are so many flavours,
The dragon grows mellow, as each one he savours.
Then Rupert produces the final surprise,
It's a dragon-shaped cake that has doughnuts for eyes.
The dragon's delighted; he shows his great bliss
By giving Prince Rupert a big smoky kiss.
The dragon and soldiers sit there on the mound.
The cake is divided; they share it around.
Then Rupert rides back to the town with the news;
He's greeted with cheering, Callays and Calloohs,
While Hilda is filled with a happiness deep -
And as for the dragon? He's gone back to sleep!
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