'Tis not the food, but the content,
That makes the table's merriment.

'Tis not the food, but the content,
That makes the table's merriment.

And solid pudding against empty praise.

And solid pudding against empty praise.

"Here, dearest Eve," he exclaims, "here is food." "Well,"
answered she, with the germ of a housewife stirring within read more

"Here, dearest Eve," he exclaims, "here is food." "Well,"
answered she, with the germ of a housewife stirring within her,
"we have been so busy to-day that a picked-up dinner must serve."

He pares his apple that will cleanly feed.

He pares his apple that will cleanly feed.

When the Sultan Shah-Zaman
Goes to the city Ispahan,
Even before he gets so far
read more

When the Sultan Shah-Zaman
Goes to the city Ispahan,
Even before he gets so far
As the place where the clustered palm-trees are,
At the last of the thirty palace-gates
The pet of the harem, Rose-in-Bloom,
Orders a feast in his favorite room--
Glittering square of colored ice,
Sweetened with syrup, tinctured with spice,
Creams, and cordials, and sugared dates,
Syrian apples, Othmanee quinces,
Limes and citrons and apricots,
And wines that are known to Eastern princes.

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil
fail, according to the word of read more

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil
fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by
Elijah.

He hath eaten me out of house and home; he hath put all of my
substance into that fat read more

He hath eaten me out of house and home; he hath put all of my
substance into that fat belly of his.

Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon.

Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon.

"An't it please your Honour," quoth the Peasant,
"This same Desset is not so pleasant:
Give me read more

"An't it please your Honour," quoth the Peasant,
"This same Desset is not so pleasant:
Give me again my hollow Tree,
A Crust of Bread, and Liberty."