Life, 1913-12-04 · page 61 of 112
Life — December 4, 1913 — page 61: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes historical epic poetry through a deliberately silly, forced-rhyme ballad about King Richard (the Lionheart) meeting Saladin during the Crusades. The humor relies on: **The joke:** The author (Laura Richards) writes overly elaborate battle descriptions with terrible, obvious rhymes ("embarrassin'," "urban on," "perimeter") that undermine the subject matter's grandeur. The mock-heroic tone mocks both Victorian historical romance and strained poetic conventions. **The punchline:** After an epic, evenly-matched battle, the warriors simply "make it up" and become friends—a deflating anticlimax that parodies how historical conflicts are often romanticized. The accompanying illustrations include a hanging scene ("Under the Mistletoe") and a cherub preparing for New Year—unrelated vignettes typical of Life's mixed-content format. The satire targets pretentious historical poetry and overwrought verse rather than politics per se.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
[= sing, a simple ballad in, How Richard, royal paladin, Did meet with mighty Saladin In far crusading times. The latter was a Saracen, And brave beyond comparison ; (J find it quite embarrassin’ To make these triple rhymes!) Now Dick was a Plantagenet, And if you can imagine it, His helmet had a badge in it; To wit, a sprig of broom; But t’other had a turban on, Which made him look quite urban on The horse he rode a-curbin’ on In grandeur and in gloom, “Defiance now I’m breathin’, sir. Quoth Dick, “You are a heathen, sir! My weapon I'm unsheathin’, sir. To pierce your pagan heart!" “Oh! cease your loud insultin’ now, And quit your proud exultin’ now ! I really am a Sultan now, So tremble, and depart!” A Ballad of the Crusades (Written on a railway journey.) pach Findenen = UNDER THE MISTLETOE THE PROBLEM HOW TO FILL THE STOCKING Then each one drew his weapon out; The horses came a-steppin’ out, And swift the foes came leppin’ out In fury fierce and fell. The clashing of their lances then, The flashing of their glances then, The dashing of their prances then Was more than tongue can tell. King Richard had a mace, you know; He wielded it with grace, you know, And all about the place, you know, His blows they did resound. But t'other with his scimitar, He really was the limit, ah! He filled the whole perimeter Of the horizon round! But both were so superior That neither proved inferior ; Nor to his foe's interior Could either find a way. And so they made it up, my dear, And drank of friendship’s’ cup, my dear, With sodalitic sup, my dear, Whose smack resounds today. Laura Richards. GETTING READY FOR THE NEW YEAR