Twenty-Nine In One Stroke!*

"He is brave and a warrior fine-- In a stroke, killed twenty-nine!" Thus went word from town to town, Only to come back around... "A better man there be none, Seekest thou a finer one?" Crept-in a common sight of doubt: Who's it they talk about...? "'tis the Tailor from this land-- He hath the strength of Heracles' hand-- There he goes, tall and proud..." Seeing whom, approached the crowd. "Tell us, O Courageous one, How didst that you have done?" "Tell us, tell us!"cried the throng Only to shroud his path along: "I know not what 'tis ye talk, I'm in a hurry, ye impede my walk.." "Don't be humble, tell us about't", Jumped up He, whilst all shout't; "I will tell what you want to know, About what, tell me though...!" "Tell about your twenty-nine", Sang all folk in a line: "The Twenty-Nine",so he thought,"that I kill'd, For me an éclat this has built..." "I am glad I talk to you all, Of this emprise--this caterwaul... When on a fine, wintry morn, I sat sewing pieces worn, There came a lady selling jam", He gazed,"I called--Ay, ma'am!-- Who, sensing a prospective buyer, Told she had the best of Shire", Again he stopped, all looked rapt: "So I bought what I thought apt; Now then, I stitch and stitch and sew, There's buzzing-humming and the numbers grow", He saw they'd still eager eyes: "That's when I strike at the flies! And behold--I kill 'em folk, I kill Twenty-Nine in a stroke!!..." _______________________________ *it is based on a story i once read as a child...though its plot was different, my poem just derives the 'tailor' and the initial 'killing spree' from the original story to combine with my own ideas..all comments appreciated...