In the King's bed, Creep the louse
Lived in her ancestral house.
They had dwelt here as of right
For three decades, and each night
She and her enormous brood
Drank the King's blood tor their food.
Once the signal came from Creep
That the King was fast asleep,
Quietly, discreetly, they
Nipped and sipped and drank away.
Sons and grandsons, sisters and brothers,
Great-granddaughters, great-grandmothers,
Second cousins and their wives
Thus pursued their gentle lives
-Lives of undisturbed delight-
Growing plump and smooth and white.
One day a mosquito flew
Through the window. As it drew
Closer to the velvet bed
Canopied with gold, he said:
'Lovely! Just the place for me.
Ah, what perfume -let me see-
Rose-no, jasmine. And the quilt-
Smooth as banks of Ganges silt!

Let me test the bedsprings now.’
So he jumped up-and somehow,
In a parabolic leap,
Landed not too far from Creep.

'Sir Mosquito, flap your wings.
Leave at once. This bed's the King's.’
'Who may you be, Lady Louse?"
’I'm the guardian of this house.‘
'House?’ This quilt. It's mine,‘ said Creep;
‘There's no place for you, Sir leap.’
'Let me sleep here for one night
And I'll catch the morning flight.’
Thus the sad mosquito pleaded,
And at last his prayers were heeded
For the tender-hearted Creep
Could not bear to watch him weep.

'Well, come in,‘ she said at last,
'But tonight you‘ll have to fast,
For on no account may you 
Bite him, as we're trained to do.
We can drink and cause no pain,
Loss of royal sleep, or stain.
You, I fear, would cause all three.
I can't risk my family.‘
But the glib mosquito cried:
'Now you've let me come inside,
Lady Louse, how can you be
Cold in hospitality?
Just one bite-l ask no more-
For I've learned from learned lore
That the royal blood contains
Remedies for aches and pains-
Ginger, honey, sugar, spice,
Cardamom, and all things nice.
Save me, I‘m in broken health.
Let me bite him - once - by stealth.
He won't even shift or sigh.
Cross my heart and hope to die.’

Finally the louse agreed.
'Right? She said. 'but pay close heed,
Wait till wine, fatigue, or deep
Dream-enriched, unbroken sleep
Has enveloped him. Then go:
Lightly nip his little toe.’

‘Yes, yes, yes. That‘s all old hat.‘
Said Sir Leap, 'I know all that.
Keep your stale advice.' He smiled:
Seriously - I'm not a child.‘

It was only afternoon - Fairly early, fairly soon -
When the King came for a snooze,
Doffed his crown and shirt and shoes,
Lay down on the bed, and sighed.
The mosquito almost died
From excitement, shock, and sweat.
'No!' the louse cried: 'No! Not yet!‘
But too late! The self-willed bumbler .
-Oh, it' only he'd been humbler -
Rushing to the rash attack
Leapt upon the royal back.
And with fierce and fiery sting
Deeply dirked the dozing king.
'Help! a scorpion! a snake!’
Screamed the King, at once awake.
'I've been bitten! Search the bed!
Find and strike the creature dead!'
When they made a close inspection
The mosquito foiled detection,
Hidden in the canopy;
But the louse clan could not flee.
All were killed without ado.
Meanwhile, the mosquito flew,
Looking out for further prey,
Humming mildly on his way.