Mischief Bent

'The Torment of Saint Anthony', c.1487-1488, by Michelangelo (1475-1564), Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas

Goblins came, on mischief bent,
To Saint Anthony in Lent.
 
‘Come, ye goblins, small and big,
We will kill the hermit’s pig.
 
‘While the good monk minds his book,
We, the hams will cure and cook.
 
‘While he goes down on his knees,
We will fry the sausages.
 
‘While he on his breast doth beat,
We will grill the tender feet.
 
‘While he David’s Psalms doth sing,
We will all to table bring.’
 
On his knees went Anthony
To those imps of Barbary.
 
‘Good, kind goblins, spare his life,
He to me is child and wife.
 
‘He indeed is good and mild
As ’twere any chrisom child.

‘He is my felicity,
Spare, oh spare my pig to me!’
 
But the pig they did not spare,
Did not heed the hermit’s prayer.
 
They the hams did cure and cook,
Still the good Saint read his book.
 
When they fried the sausages,
Still he rose not from his knees.
 
When they grilled the tender feet
He ceasèd not his breast to beat.
 
They did all to table bring,
He for grace the Psalms did sing.
 
All at once the morning broke,
From his dream the monk awoke.
 
There in the kind light of day
Was the little pig at play.

R.L. Gales, 1862-1927

Most gracious God, who didst call thy servant Anthony to sell all that he had and to serve thee in the solitude of the desert: grant that we, through his intercession and following his example, may learn to deny ourselves and to love thee before all things; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. - Divine Worship: The Missal